The Alchemist
by Twyla Mercedes
Summary: A.U. Lt Belle French is the Information Officer that's Librarian on a starship & the difficult alien scientist, Dr Gold, requests her as his new assistant on his special project. The ship is attacked by space pirates & several crew members, inc Lt French and Dr Gold are taken prisoner. They discover that Dr Gold has a disreputable past & is not exactly what he appears to be.
1. The New Assistant

**Of course I don't own any of these characters – just having fun with them. (And I borrowed klah from Anne McAffrey). txm **

+ + + + + _A New Assistant is Requested_

"He's gone bat-shit crazy!"

It came over the intercom and was the first clue that there was any problem in the Lab. It was followed closely by a red alert sounding.

The bridge went into full defcom posture trying to get information on exactly what was happening in the center of the ship. That first call had come up from Lieutenant Booth. He had simply been walking by to the Lab when he heard the disturbance. He had first called for a medic, then sounded the alarm, then called for back-up.

Booth called in a second report, "Ensign Boyd had been thrown out of the Lab, I mean really thrown out! I can hear things being tossed about, exploded, lord knows what inside the Lab. Anybody who has tried to get in there is being stopped at the door, sir! He's gone off the deep end! Nobody can get near him!"

Captain Nolen sighed. He reminded himself that he had thought this assignment was going to be a piece of cake. _What the hell had he been thinking? Premier scientist, maybe. Raving lunatic, definitely._

Nolen got the next call in from his security officer who had high-tailed it down to the Lab immediately after the red alert was sounded. "Permission to kick his alien ass, sir?" It was Lieutenant Commander Swan.

He signed once more before replying, "Have at it Swan. Try not to hurt him."

"Yes sir."

Nolen looked around his bridge. Since the alien scientist had come aboard it had been one temper tantrum after another. He hadn't been satisfied with the temperature of his room. They had tried to adjust it, but it was still too cold for him. He hadn't liked the food. They made some accommodations to the food service program to get him something he could eat, but he still complained it was awful. He had to have an assistant. Sharp, young Ensign Boyd had volunteered to work with him and now she had been bodily thrown out of the lab.

"Graham," Nolen looked at this second in command. "You have the bridge. I'm going down."

Graham didn't bother to keep his smile to himself. "Yes sir. Be careful sir."

Nolen rode the levelator down and across to the Lab. When he stepped into the hallway outside of the Lab, he saw Lieutenant Commander Swan go flying out of the Lab doors (which looked like they had been exploded in an outward blast) and slam into the opposing wall. She shook herself, vaulted up, said a swear word and ran back into the Lab. He was impressed with her stamina. That hit would've taken out many of the men under his command, but there was a reason why this petite blonde woman had made it as his security chief. She could take a punch.

He took a deep breath and stepped into the breach.

"Gold!" he called out. The room was in shambles, furniture turned over, broken instruments, liquids seeping out and into each other. Swan had flung herself onto alien scientist's back and was in the process of taking him down. She had somehow managed to get cuffs on one of his hands and was using some sort of pressure hold on him to pull back his other hand into the second cuff. He was swearing a blue streak at her, threatening her, spitting at her. _Not exactly the happy camper._

"Gold," he called out again. "What is it this time?"

"Get this she-devil off of me!" the demented scientist was demanding.

"Swan, get down," he could see that she was already actually in the process of letting the alien go, having successfully handcuffed him.

"Yes sir," she said, and promptly distanced herself from the ranting, raving, infuriated alien scientist.

"Let me go, Captain. This is totally uncalled for. An extreme over-reaction from your crew," he seethed, shifting himself around, trying to get out of the cuffs.

"When you calm down and tell me what happened," Nolen directed. He often felt like he was dealing with a brilliant, but totally spoiled, three year old when he dealt with the scientist. He tried to keep his voice low and reasonable.

Gold closed his eyes which had turned black, his reptilian skin glittering as he took deep breaths trying to calm himself. When he opened his eyes, they were back to his usual brown. "It's been a series of disasters. That ignorant, incompetent piece of twat you assigned me as an assistant has been a total catastrophe. She can't follow one-step commands, doesn't know her way around the Lab and absolutely cannot make klah."

Nolen nodded, "Can't make klah?" Gold was referring to the noxious beverage he preferred over tea or coffee that required a seven step process to produce. "Well, I'll have her keel-hauled in the morning. Why didn't you just ask for a new assistant?"

"Well, that's what I'm doing now," Gold sneered at him, seeming determined to be as uncooperative as he could be. "Your superiors will not be happy with how you've been treating me. They are expecting me to be successful with this project and I will have to tell them that you have repeatedly failed to cooperate with even the most simple requests."

Nolen had heard this particular rant before. "Your room temperature is not acceptable?"

"Still frigid."

"Food ok?" Nolan had asked him this question upteen times before.

"Paste and bug spray."

"And you need a new assistant?" _Just to have things clarified_.

"I thought I had made that quite clear."

"I'll get to work on it." Nolan promised him.

"Oh, I already have someone in mind," Gold told him with just a hint of smugness.

"Damn." _Nolen did not think this could be good. _

"Let me out of these cuffs and I'll show you," He lifted his hands away from his backside for Swan to unlock them. She glanced at her captain, who nodded. She unlocked him, turning him around and letting him see her pocket the cuffs.

"Bitch," he said to her.

"Crazy man," she replied.

"Not a man," he told her waving his long green-gold fingers with their blackened nails at her.

Swan was about to retort, when Nolen interrupted. "All right you two." He knew they could both keep it up all day and he didn't have all day. "OK, Swan, you can get back on your regular duty. Thank you."

As she walked by him, he said quietly to her, "Check on Boyd. Give me a report on what happened."

"Yes sir. You'll be ok, sir?"

"Absolutely," he assured her and stood by while she walked out the door. He knew she had turned and made a face at Gold, but he didn't actually see anything so he didn't make a response. These two were already getting a history together; he didn't want to abet it along. He turned back to the scientist, "All right Gold. Who do you want for your new assistant?"

Gold was still sulking, rubbing his wrists. "That woman is a menace. She could have hurt me."

"She was doing her job. Who do you want for your new assistant?"

"I need someone who is very bright, has some lab experience. . ."

Nolen finished, "And knows how to make klah."

Gold smirked at him, "Actually, I wouldn't expect that anyone on your crew would know how to make klah. It requires a level of training, skill and palate sophistication I have yet to encounter in a human. I will settle for intelligence and experience."

He walked over to his computer screen and tapped a few keys. He stood back so that Nolen would have a clear view of the screen. "I want her," he pointed to the screen.

Nolen was taken aback. He had several questions and some serious concerns. "How did you get that picture? Did you break into our personnel files?"

Gold rolled his eyes, "Like it was hard."

"This woman is too valuable, too precious, to spend time wiping up your spills. She is on special assignment, redoing our computer files and systems, cataloging and systematically arranging every piece of knowledge we carry."

"Yes, yes, her training has been superb. She also has the highest test scores of anyone on board your ship, including you, captain, and, just as important, she has worked as a lab assistant in college on a transmutation project similar to the one I'm working on. I want her."

"And if you don't get her."

Gold gave him one of his grim smiles. "Well, I guess I'll be going."

_Hell, the alien knew that he had given him no choice. _"All right. I'll get her reassigned. But if you aren't happy with her, just let me know. Give me a call. You don't have to destroy the Lab."

Gold considered, "Deal, Captain. I get her and I will let you know if I want a change."

+ + + + + + _ Reassignment_

Lieutenant Belle French was used to working alone. She preferred working alone. She got so much more done working alone. After years of doing a variety of strange, odd jobs for the Service, she had finally gotten her dream job – re-cataloging the entire files of a ship's stored knowledge, cross-referencing, locking down pieces, organizing. Every book. Every magazine. Every pamphlet. Every snippet of information. She knew that most people would have found the job deadly dull, but she liked how things looked when they fell into place, when everything got all tidied up. It was immensely satisfying. She didn't even hear the captain when he came into her little office, so intent was she on her work.

"Lieutenant," he cleared his throat.

She startled. "Yes sir." She quickly rose to attention, acutely aware that she was not exactly in uniform.

"Please, please stay seated, Lieutenant."

"Yes sir. Is something wrong?" It was the first thing she thought of, he seemed so somber and serious. Had something happened with her father, her fiancé?

"I'm going to have to re-assign you," the captain told her.

"Sir?"

"I have another assignment for you, Lieutenant. I know this is not what you were brought aboard for and I'm sorry, but some things have changed and you've been requested for this other job."

She couldn't quite hide her disappointment. So much for her dream job. Well it was good while it lasted. "Yes sir."

"You're familiar with Doctor Gold, the alien scientist we picked up a couple of weeks ago."

"Absolutely, sir. He's the leading researcher on transmutation, working most recently, I think, with the Sugar Diamond Project."

"You are quite well informed," Nolen was surprised and pleased with his Information Officer. The Sugar Diamond Project was top secret.

"Well, my job is to be well informed, sir."

"Of course. Anyway, he has not been happy with the first assistant that we assigned him and . . . he has requested you." Nolen sounded like he had something that tasted badly in his mouth.

"Me? How would he know anything about me?" Belle kept to herself, was new aboard the vessel and wasn't all that well known among the crew. She had just had time to make a couple of friends. For the scientist to have _requested_ her made her uncomfortable. _Just a little creepy._

"He apparently broke into our personnel files."

"That was who broke in!" Lieutenant French exclaimed. "I mean, sir, I had found some footprints and knew someone had hacked in, but they hadn't done any damage. I had to go back in and re-encrypt some things so it wouldn't happen again. " She shook her head. "So, he's requested me? I'm honored, I guess."

"Listen French. Gold may be brilliant, but he's erratic and unstable. If you start feeling uncomfortable, immediately let me know. He'll try to bully you and, it's just possible, he may try to charm you. I've not seen it so far, but I've been told he can be quite pleasant and accommodating . . . when he wants something."

"Yes captain. I've been around both aliens and these scientist-types before. I think I understand what I'm dealing with."

"I sure hope so. Good going, Lieutenant. He's expecting you to report to him in the Lab."

"Right now?" Belle couldn't help the dismay from showing in her voice.

"Sorry, Lieutenant. He's trashed the place and nothing more is going to happen there until you show up."

"Yes sir," she said wanly. "I'll close out what I'm doing and head on down. Give me about ten minutes."

Nolen nodded at her, feeling a bit sorry for the young lieutenant. She was new to his command but had come to him with the highest recommendations. She was quiet, kept to herself and did her job. He hoped he wasn't throwing her to the lions, or at least to one very mean lion.

**A.N. Short intro chapter. Hope people enjoyed it. Of course you will be seeing Snow White, Queen Regina, Ruby Red and the Mad Hatter, but they're about two chapters away.**

_Next: Belle is out of uniform_

_What happened late at night in the Lab_

_Belle tries to get fired._


	2. Out of Uniform

+ + + + + _Out of Uniform_

True to her word, within ten minutes Lieutenant Belle French was on her way down to the Lab. She would have been down in in five minutes, but she had taken an extra five to look up Dr. Gold.

Oh yes, absolutely brilliant. Considered one of the most original thinkers in several fields. Contributions to several fields were outstanding. Had already pulled down one Nobel Prize in physics. Was likely being considered for a second Prize in chemistry. Before it was over it was possible that he would become the first person to win three Prizes in three different areas. Wrote prolifically, scientific and political papers. So on and so on.

Belle scanned down to his personal life.

No family. Never married, no known relationships, male or female. Was rumored to have had affairs with some very powerful women but if so, everything had been kept quite discrete. Was a collector of rare and exotic objects d'art. Owned several lovely homes, drove some high class, very fast, very flashy vehicles. Was considered quite the musician.

Damn, he was quite intimidating. . . on many levels.

Her first impression of the lab was that it looked like a war zone. The doors had nearly been blown off their hinges. She peeked inside. Furniture over-turned. Apparatus knocked over. Yeah, a tornado had hit the room. In a far corner, she saw a small hunched-over figure sitting on a stool and focused on a large horizontal light board, shifting numbers and symbols around. Tiny holographic images periodically spun up out of the board. This must be the famous _or infamous_ Dr. Gold.

Her training came to the fore. She looked closely at him. Not very physically imposing. Glittering green-gold skin. Scales? Matted dark brown hair, poorly fitted clothing. A rather odd assortment of clothing, layers of random colored shirts and jackets. Interesting hands, long fingers, blackened nails. Slender, the impression of coiled strength and energy, ready to burst forth when needed, or when he was perturbed or upset. Nice ass.

"Enjoying the view, dearie?"

She startled and realized he had spoken to her. He hadn't turned towards her, but he must have heard her come in. She had been staring.

"I was curious as to who had pulled me off my dream job to play lab go-fer," she said, perhaps too honestly and a little peevishly. _Why not let him know he had seriously inconvenienced her?_

He didn't seem offended, turning and smiling at her. _Or was he leering at her?_ His dark eyes were mesmerizing, catching her off-guard with their depths. "That would be me," he admitted. "I needed someone with intelligence and experience in this type of lab."

She couldn't help but look around at the total mess in the lab and responded, pointedly, "Well, I did some housekeeping as one of my part-time jobs working my way through school, so I guess I'm experienced. I can pick stuff up off the floor and set furniture upright with the best of them."

He waved her off. "Nolen will have someone in here to clean this up. Let me tell me about my work and what I expect you to do."

Belle was uncomfortable walking through and away from the chaos he had just created, but bit her tongue rather than suggesting he clean up his own mess. She'd already risked offending the creature. He directed her to a stool next to his own and began going over his project.

She knew something about it already. Trying to recreate the Sugar Diamond crystals that powered the big starships. Taking something that already existed, diamonds, and infusing them with additional specific molecules in specific places so that the clear crystals turned milky white with tiny sparkles – like great big sugar cubes. She knew that he was already credited with synthesizing several other compounds, so this was felt to be well within his capacity. She knew that he had been working on this project for a while and, obviously, had not yet been successful. She knew it had been at his request that he had been placed aboard this particular starship to get ready access to the diamonds that existed on several of the planets on their run and access to the specific levels of lambda waves that he needed from several of the stars they would be near.

She was fascinated with his explanations and listened raptly, occasionally interrupting him with questions for clarification. She would catch him looking at her curiously when she asked him her questions, as if she had done something unexpected.

"How close are you, do you think?" she finally asked.

"I think it could happen at any time," he replied. He abruptly got up and motioned for her to stand. He focused his total attention on her. "Turn around," he directed her. She complied, uncertain about being the object of his sudden scrutiny. "Again," he directed her.

Belle was suddenly very conscious of her disheveled appearance. Earlier that day, expecting to be left alone in her office to do her work, she had simply twisted her hair up into a knot on top of her hair, forgoing any clips or hairpins. She knew that by now tendrils had pulled down and her hair was making a chestnut cloud around her head. She hadn't put on any makeup, again figuring she was going to be alone in her office all day. She was dressed in her uniform, but had earlier completely unbuttoned her jacket, pulled her shirt out from her pants and unbuttoned the collar, creating a very casual look, not regular service at all. Nolen had not called her down for being out of uniform, but she knew that strictly speaking, she was very much not dressed to order.

Gold reached out and touched, almost caressed, her hair. His eyes, she could now see them, close as he was, were a soft brown with tiny gold flecks. He had a gentle smile as he looked her over. She felt a bit warm under his gaze.

"I. . .I. . .I am sorry, I'm not in uniform," she stammered, feeling the need to say something, anything.

"You are more beautiful in person than the picture in your personnel file would suggest. Absolutely luminous." He leaned forward and sniffed her.

She shifted, dropping her eyes and pulling back from him. She had thought he was small, but standing next to her, she realized that he had more than a quarter-meter on her height. She suddenly felt small and vulnerable.

"I'm hoping you selected me because of my skills, not my looks," she managed to get out.

"If I have my choice between a capable assistant and a capable and beautiful assistant, I'm going to accept the latter." Did he realize he was making her uncomfortable? He then pulled back from her, and started for the blasted doors. "But in your case, there was no competition and no choice to make. Given your credentials I would have wanted you as my assistant had you been a troll. I should have been assigned you from the beginning. I would have probably been a week or more ahead of where I am now." He gestured for her to follow him.

He continued, "We need to leave the lab so it can be cleaned." He gave her a mischievous grin and added, "They won't come in while I'm still here. Have you had a meal recently?"

She thought a moment. _What time was it?_ _She'd had breakfast. It was now late afternoon. A while then. _ "No, I haven't," she answered honestly.

He gestured again for her to follow him around the corner. She realized that he was taking her to his private quarters. These were immediately adjacent to the Lab and he let her in using an ID card. Objections bubbled to her lips but went unsaid. _She shouldn't be going into his apartment. _

Inside it was sweltering. She glanced at his skin and given his reptilian coloring she suspected he preferred it warmer than humans. He took off about six layers of his clothing and revealed strong arms, tinged as green as his face. She realized that his odd clothing choices were likely related to his need to keep warm – he had layered jackets and other outerwear on top of each other to trap in body heat.

"This food prep system is still wired for humans. Get yourself something," he directed her, pointing her to the kitchen area of the large apartment.

It was standard ship equipment. She punched in her usual lunch request. Kale with ginger-sesame seed dressing. Baked sweet potato. Whole grain bread spread with a little almond butter. Dark red beans on the side. He grimaced at her lunch and punched in food for himself. She didn't recognize anything on his plate. It was colorful and mostly pureed with some type of odd looking root vegetable. Despite being strange-looking it was not unattractive, and, at least, nothing was moving.

As she ate in silence, she began to feel her hair slip down. The humidity in the room was making her hair more curly but also was making it heavier. She stopped to pull it down, finger-combed it through and re-twisted it up to the top of her head. She looked up and found that he had been watching her. His staring was continuing to unnerve her. She said the first thing she thought of.

"Where are you from?"

"Far, far away," he replied.

_OK, then don't talk about it_. "You attended the Science Academy?" referring to the premiere science and technology training facility in the Confederation.

"For a while," he replied.

"Aren't you working for them now?"

"I have a contract with the Space Service. . . for the Diamonds."

He didn't say anything else, just continued to gaze at her. It made her really, really nervous. She began to look around his quarters. Very cluttered with odds and ends, but also rather luxurious with sumptuous fabrics and materials, and what appeared to be genuine wood furniture, not the usual metal and plasti-glass most rooms had. He certainly went for comfort. The room was dark and infused with an odd scent, not at all unpleasant.

But the room was also hot. . . and humid. Incredibly so. Her first impression that it was sweltering had not diminished. She felt sweat running down her face and between her breasts. What was it in here? It felt like it was at least 35 degrees. She brought up her hand to wipe her face and neck.

"If you're hot, feel free to take off your uniform jacket and your shirt," he told her. "Most humans can't tolerate the heat I prefer. As I'm civilian, I don't give a rat's ass if you're in your uniform."

She hesitated, but she had to agree, she was hot and she wasn't managing it well. She finished unbuttoning her jacket and slipped it off and then, hesitating a moment, took off her long-sleeved shirt. She was wearing only an undershirt and a sportsbra underneath and realized that she was essentially wearing only undergarments in front of him. She felt herself blushing and caught the merest hint of a smirk before he turned away from her. She took a deep breath. It was more tolerable in his quarters without the jacket and shirt, that was for sure.

_Suck it up and deal with it, Belle,_ she told herself. _Just because you're here in the quarters of a dangerous alien scientist who has said he thinks you're beautiful, no reason to turn into marshmallow jelly. Hey, you are cool, well maybe not so cool. But you are confident and sophisticated. And, of course, you often sit around in your underwear in the presence of interesting males. Hell, he's probably not even compatible with human females and, oh god, what am I thinking? I've just met the man and I was told to be careful around him. Pleasant and charming, indeed. _She realized she was blushing again.

"It's going to be a while before they have the lab cleaned up," he told her. "If you want to set up at that computer," he pointed to one of about six in the apartment, "feel free to continue to work on your 'dream job'. I won't have anything for you to work on until they get the Lab cleaned up."

_Ouch, so he had heard and processed that little snarky remark she had made. _

He turned away. "I'm going to update myself on some journal reading."

She watched and he settled in front of one of the other computers. She accessed and pulled up her own project data and began working on it, but was a bit at a disadvantage, not having her printout materials with her. She was still able to do some coding on one of the minor projects. She had been at work for about a half hour when she stopped to stretch and regroup. He was sitting in front of a screen and rapidly tapping the "enter" key, glancing at page after page after page, nearly as rapidly as he could advance them.

She watched him a moment, then stood and went over to him. "Scanning for something?" she asked.

"Updating my reading," he responded.

_Oh crap, Nobody read that fast, well, no human did. But he wasn't human, was he? OK. _She backed off and went back to her computer, feeling slightly chilled despite the humid heat.

+ + + + + _Spilling_

Lieutenant Commander Emma Swan checked out the mess hall early the next morning. She had finished up her usual morning workout and was looking for her usual breakfast companions.

"Belle French," she slid in across from her. "Honey, you look like hell."

"Well thanks Emma. I was up past eleven last night."

"I heard you got stuck with Gold-duty. Did you piss off the captain?"

"I don't think so. He told me that Dr. Gold had requested me."

"More like insisted on you, is what I heard. So how are you two making out?"

Belle cringed. "Not the best choice of words, Emma."

"What, oh, 'making out'? Sorry," she re-phrased. "How are you two getting along?"

"OK, I guess. I was there until past eleven last night. The time got away from me and I didn't realize it was so late until it was. . . so late."

"What was he having you do?"

"Just spent time explaining what he was doing. He was . . . fascinating and I completely lost track of time."

"What did you think of him?" Emma wanted to know.

"He's brilliant, of course. Intense, focused, but also," she struggled. "He's. . . odd. He would get distracted every so often, and go off on some strange tangent. Maybe, it's just because he's so brilliant and sees things so differently."

They were joined at that moment by the third member of their morning breakfast group, Dr. Archie Hopper.

"You've got to be talking about Dr. Gold," he quickly perceived. "Brilliant, but strange?"

Belle nodded.

"You do know how he got the name Gold?" Archie asked.

"That's not his name?" Emma and Belle both asked the same question.

"No, nobody knows his real name or, at least, if anyone knows it, no one can pronounce it," Archie shared. "The name 'Gold' came up when he was a student at the Science Academy. Apparently, he was being obnoxious, showing off his own knowledge and skills in regards to his transmutation theory and some upper classmen, known as 'The Six,' decided to take him down a peg. They made a bet that he couldn't take something they gave him and turn it into gold."

"Go on," Emma directed.

"They gave him, of all things, some straw, locked him in a room and told him he had twelve hours."

"Wow, what happened?" asked Belle.

"Well, he did it. The next morning, they came into the room and. . ." Archie paused dramatically.

"What?" Belle was wide-eyed.

"He'd done it. On the table top, the straw was gone and there was a pile of fine-spun gold."

"Get out!" Emma was impressed. "He can make gold!"

"Apparently, but he's never revealed the trick."

"So he won the bet, then," Belle observed. "What did he win?"

"Ah, the agreement was that whoever won would owe the other 'A Favor'," Archie explained. "Apparently, Gold has slowly collected on the favors from The Six over time. The placement with us on this current project was Favor Number Five."

"That's amazing," Belle said. "I didn't know that anyone had transmuted gold."

"It's a well-kept secret. I only know because one of The Six dated my roommate's sister for a while and I heard it from him. Now," Archie changed the subject and he directly addressed Belle, "I heard you got pulled in as his new assistant," Archie shook his head. "He's quite the piece of work. Did he make any moves on you?"

"No," Belle immediately said, then blushed.

"OK, spill," ordered Emma, catching the blush. "What did he do?"

"He got me into his quarters," Belle began slowly.

"And got you to take off some of your clothes," Emma guessed, "because of the heat, right?"

Belle nodded, more than a little embarrassed.

"Yeah, he's done that to several female crew members. Including me. Then what?" Emma was persistent.

"Wait. Wait. When did he get you into his quarters?" Belle couldn't let this go. "He got you to take off some of your uniform?" _Not Emma, solid, practical, in-charge Emma._

"It was right after he came on board. I'd dropped by to welcome him and introduce myself. It was hot, so I took off my jacket. Then, still over-heated, I unbuttoned my shirt. I ended up sitting on the sofa. He was such the gracious host, so I had a couple of drinks of lord-knows-what. He joined me on the sofa. I had quite a buzz on and I don't really remember what happened between us, but if I hadn't gotten a call from the Captain, I don't know what could have happened. I've been on my guard with him since. Now, your turn, what happened?"

"Nothing. He leered at me a bit but then went to work on some of his stuff and I worked on some of my stuff and then, we went back into the lab. I put my shirt and jacket back on; it actually felt cold in the Lab after being in his hot-house of an apartment. By the time we got back, the clean-up crew had gotten the lab all spiffed back up and then, he began showing me around there." She hesitated.

"And?" Emma asked.

"Well, he did put his hand on my back," she admitted and reached around and pointed to her lower back, just above her hip, to show them where the offending hand had been.

"Well, at least he didn't put his hand on your rear end," Emma said.

"He was just guiding me around the room," Belle protested.

"Yeah, I always have to have guys put their hands nearly on my butt to navigate me around a room. I can't figure out what to do when they say, 'Hey, come over here.' Sure, guiding you around the room, that's what he was doing," Emma agreed sarcastically.

"Well, then he showed me a lot of stuff and I suddenly realized how late it was and told him I had to go." She closed her eyes.

Archie leaned in, "Belle, tell us what happened then?" He had a kind, concerned voice.

"He said that, of course, Captain Nolen had told me that, because of his odd work hours, I would be expected to stay in his quarters."

"He didn't?" Emma had risen in her seat.

"He did," Belle shared and motioned for Emma to sit back down. "Of course, I told him that under no circumstances would I stay in his quarters and I apologized if Captain Nolen had said anything that gave him the impression that I would consider such a thing."

Archie was smiling at her, "Worthy of a diplomat, my dear. How did he react?"

"At first he became angry. 'How dare I? This was the problem he'd had with the last assistant' and so forth. Somehow, I stood my ground and insisted that I would not be staying in his quarters regardless of his working hours. I would be there when I was on-duty and he would have to work around that."

"What happened?" Archie and Emma both asked.

"He started laughing. He told me I could go and he would see me in the morning," Belle finished.

_She didn't share, she couldn't share, not even with her closest friends that he had quickly moved in and reached for her, pulling her into him and kissing her, right on the mouth, opened-mouth. A delicious, wonderful kiss. Made her head swim and her knees weak. She'd ended up leaning into him and, oh lord, kissing him back. When he had released her, he had had to support her, something he was well aware of, something that had put that superior smirk on his face. "Run along then little pretty one. I'll see you in the morning." She had scampered out as fast as her feet could carry her. She had made it back to her own quarters, showered and hit the mattress. She had lain there for a while before sleep took her over. And she had to face him again this morning._

_She should have been outraged. She should have immediately filed a complaint. She knew it. He knew it. And if she didn't, he would think. . . What would he think? _

"Good girl," Archie told her, breaking into her reverie.

"Great job," Emma praised her. "You let me know if he tries anything. I wouldn't trust him."

+ + + + + _ Get Out! Get Out While You Still Can_

Belle had about twenty minutes before she had to report to Gold and the Lab. She sought out Ashley Boyd, now back on routine duties. She had been seen in the Infirmary and released. Belle found her in the engine room and joined her there.

"Listen Ensign Boyd, I know you worked with Dr. Gold. I've been assigned in your place. Tell me about him, please." She began. She didn't know Boyd well.

"Eeuu!" began Ashley. "I'm so sorry. I had thought that working with a brilliant scientist would be such a learning experience, but he was such a jerkweed. He kept expecting me to read his mind and know what he wanted before he had asked for it. He would yell at me all the time. He called me names. He would throw things at me. He wanted me there at all hours. It was awful."

"No advice then?" Belle asked her.

"Oh yeah, I've got some advice for you. Get out, get out while you still can," Ashley told her.

+ + + + + _Am I fired yet?_

Belle approached the door of the Lab feeling nervous. _After that kiss, what was she to expect?_ She pulled herself upright. She would face him and go on with things. She wasn't going to let him intimidate her. After all, he was the one who kissed her. She hadn't done anything to be ashamed of. _Well, her knees had caved, she'd nearly keeled over, she had kissed him back, and she should have filed a complaint_. Oh hell, maybe he wouldn't want her for his assistant, then she could go back to her old job. She'd prefer to do that anyway.

She knocked on the lab door. When there was no answer, she cracked the door and went in. "Hello," she called out.

It was all quiet. She breathed out, a sigh of relief. _He must still be asleep. He had probably stayed up until the wee hours of the morning and then went onto bed. _

"You're late," she jumped when she heard the accusing voice.

She glanced at the only clock in the room. It was up above her head, up above the door.

"Only two minutes," she said in her own defense.

"You agreed to be here when you are on-duty." Dr. Gold came towards her, coming out from one of the dark corners of the Lab. "You were on-duty and you weren't here. Do I need to complain?"

Belle closed her eyes. _He was going to be the one to file a complaint! _ "Please, file the complaint and have me fired." She had no problem with this.

"Not a chance¸dearie. I'll be expecting you to stay late to make up the time," he gave her a quick smile. "Your rules, darlin'."

Well, he seemed in a good mood, so she dared to ask him, "Is there anything I could do to get fired?"

"Not hardly. If you did anything to hurt my project, I'd take my own personal vengeance first before turning you over to Captain Nolen," he warned her and then gave her another one of his tight smiles before turning back to his work. "Then I'd have you back here just like nothing had happened."

_Well, she recognized a threat then she heard one. Good grief, she wondered what his 'personal vengeance' would look like and decided she was better off not knowing. _She stood still, not sure of what to do.

"Get over here, lass. I need you to watch this read-out. Look for this pattern," he directed her, pointing to where she needed to sit.

Belle sighed, and complied, pulling herself over to the chair and sat down beginning on the assistant's job. She knew she would be there a while. Dr. Gold was up and down all morning, sometimes disappearing for brief periods but always coming back. Sometimes he would try different things and have her watch closely. Her job was to look for patterns and notify him if there were any spikes or dips. _Couldn't he design a computer program that would do the same thing? _Apparently not, he insisted only the live eye could see certain nuances. She wasn't sure she was seeing any differences. Was she fired yet?

Then he gave her a stack of calculations to double-check. These were some that Ashley had entered and he wanted to be sure 'the little twit_' _had entered the data correctly. She couldn't find any mistakes. And then he gave her complex math formula to see if she could solve it. She glanced at it and told him that she didn't even recognize all the operation symbols so this was way beyond her skill level and was she fired yet?

_Next: Dr. Gold makes a decision_

_ Dr. Gold has a snit_

_ Dr. Gold makes a deal_

A.N. Thanks to all the early reviewers and their comments. Much appreciated. txm_  
_


	3. A High Handed Decision

+ + + + + _A High Handed Decision_

It was later that morning when Dr. Gold was the one to actually suggest they take a break and get something to eat and drink. Earlier that day, Belle had recognized the machinery for klah in the small kitchen corner of the lab. She got up to begin the grinding, boiling, steeping, sieving, mashing, re-boiling and sugaring steps necessary to make the strong, bitter-sweet¸thick brew. She had acquired a taste for it when in graduate school and had taught herself the intricate, specific steps in making it. She searched the cupboards and found two cups, and just two cups, that would do for serving klah. Not just any cup would do, the brew requiring a wide bottom base and a slender top, like an inverted triangle, in order to retain heat and flavor. She carefully poured the product of her careful efforts out into the narrow opening and then handed him one of the cups filled with the dark, rich potion.

He had watched her with slitted eyes as she did the work for the brew without saying a word. _Interesting, he had thought. If she wasn't willing to satisfy one of his appetites, perhaps she would be able to satisfy another. _He took the proffered cup and, tentatively he took a sip. And then another.

"This is actually drinkable, my dear. I had given up hope of finding anyone who knew how to make this properly. Especially in this gastronomic wasteland. Thank you."

She shrugged. "I learned to like it myself and couldn't find anyone to fix it for me. So I taught myself."

"I'm impressed. Another thing to recommend you for this job."

She had to smile to herself. His obvious approval made her feel warm and pleasant. She was quite aware that he was not one to hand out compliments. _But darn, this wouldn't get her fired._

Abruptly he began talking, "Since you refused to stay in my quarters, I did ask the Captain if it could be arranged to have you stay here in the lab. Maybe not a permanent place but somewhere you could lay down for the night those times that I keep extra long hours here in the lab."

"Oh no. I think it's very important that I keep my own quarters and sleep in my own bed," she protested.

Gold pulled a face at her. "But it will be so tedious if I have something for you to do and you aren't here."

"I'm not a servant. I'm an assistant," she reminded him and then noted that he had spilled some of his klah. She promptly got a dishcloth from the kitchen corner of the lab and moved in to wipe it up.

"Not a servant?" he asked archly, glancing at the dishcloth in her hand.

She stammered, "Well, we. . . we both like a tidy lab." _Turning into his maidservant now._

"Maybe you do, I just get people to clean up after me." He persisted on his own topic. "I thought you would refuse the cot in the lab." He caught her eye, "So I'm having you moved to the quarters immediately next to mine."

"Oh, I wish you wouldn't," she protested. He was like a bulldozer. . . or a bull mastiff when he got an idea into his head, he just wouldn't let go. She took his empty cup and her own and began to tote them back to the small kitchen sink.

"I know where your current quarters are and you have quite a hike from your quarters to the mess hall in the morning and then to here. These quarters are a good deal larger with more amenities. You could fix meals in your own room if you wanted to. But you also wouldn't have so far to go to the mess hall if you preferred."

Belle couldn't believe this! She set the cups down hard on the counter and heard them clash into each other. "I happen to like eating in the mess hall and not having to fix meals in my own room and having a distance to travel between my quarters and work. It's how I get some exercise."

He shrugged, casually waving off her objections. "They're moving your possessions this morning. It's already been decided."

"What? I don't think so." Belle found herself running out of the lab and encountering several seamen in the process of moving her property. "No, no, stop, stop." She found herself heading towards the Bridge, not quite sure of where she needed to go.

She was almost in tears. _That high-handed. . . bastard! _She was furious, feeling as if decisions that affected her were being made without her involvement. He reminded her of her father and the struggle she had been through to break that pattern, to get herself out and away from him. She managed to follow the blue line that led her to the command center.

"Sir," she burst onto the Bridge. She had never been on a Bridge before. She saw the captain sitting on a raised platform. "Sir," she called again, lowering her voice this time.

Captain Nolen got up and came over to her. He talked quietly to her, "Lieutenant French. Problem?" He hadn't expected to hear from her. Gold maybe. . . always, but not French.

"He's moved my quarters so that I'm next to his."

"Yes, he called this morning and specifically requested that you be closer to the Lab while you're working as his assistant. He already seems very taken with you, Lieutenant, very pleased with you, so far. And let me tell you, that I'm very pleased also. This is the quietest he's been since coming on board. You've had a great start."

"But I don't want to be put next to him! I need to keep some distance between myself and him. Sir," she hesitated not comfortable sharing. "I am feeling. . . I don't feel quite safe around him."

The Captain paused. She knew he didn't want to upset the volatile scientist but still recognized his duty to a crew member. "French, I can make sure you have extra secure locks on your door. I can give you a transmitter that you can carry at all times and press to bring help within moments." He turned her to look at him. He was tall, taller than Dr. Gold. He looked down on her with kind pale blue eyes. "I need you where you are Belle. You're helping, really helping on this difficult assignment. I need you to continue to hang tough. Let us move your quarters."

Belle sniffed and dropped her eyes. She was torn between lashing out angrily and crying. "Yes, sir," she finally answered, feeling defeated.

+ + + + + _Enormous_

She was a bit more sedate when she finally got back down to the lab, accepting the inevitable, calming herself. The seamen had apparently already gotten the word and completed moving her. It wasn't like she had all that many possessions. She went into the new quarters. Any other time she would have been pleased at finding herself in such an upscale apartment. Her previous quarters consisted of a very small kitchen with a two-burner stove, a micro-fridge, a small sink and two pantry shelves. There had been a stool and a tiny counter, a bed that doubled as a sofa and a toilet with a micro sink and an equally small shower. Closet space consisted of a one foot space and six short shelves. She'd had more room in her college dorm room.

But this apartment was enormous. There was a separate full kitchen, a dining area and a regular living room with a sofa and two comfy chairs. The bedroom had a full sized bed, generous closet space and a bathroom of her dreams. In it, there was a tub with jets in it. Oh, now that was so tempting. Her stuff wouldn't begin to fill this space. It was bigger than Emma's quarters and she was a lieutenant-commander. The captain probably didn't have more room that she had here. _And she had that bastard to thank for putting her here._

+ + + + + _Designs_

Belle knocked and came back into the Lab. It had been more than an hour since she had stormed out.

"You've been on-duty and not here for more than an hour," Gold told her, sounding more than a little put out. "And you cracked one of my little cups."

"I'm not planning on making up any of my time today, Dr. Gold," she told him, drawing a line in the sand.

"Well," his eyes sparkled. "I guess you could begin making up the time tomorrow."

"I'm not planning on making up any of the time I've lost today, period, Dr. Gold," she told him, clarifying her position. She glared at him. "I am sorry about the cup." She felt that she was about to cry, but she was determined to hold firm.

"It's just a chip," he reassured her. "I'm sorry about moving you, but I want you closer in. I need you closer in."

"No you don't," she said. "You just did this to push me around, to get your way. You didn't care what I wanted or you would have asked me."

"Yes, I confess. I got you the much larger quarters closer to the mess hall, all your friends' quarters, all the shipboard activities and both your original office and your current office just to be mean to you."

Belle listened to his explanation and she felt suddenly small and judgmental. "Oh, I didn't realize." She couldn't help herself, "You should have asked me though."

"Perhaps, but you were ready to damn me thinking I had done this purely for selfish reasons, weren't you? And not as a way of thanking you. Of trying to make up for pulling you off your 'dream job'."

"I guess so," she admitted and bravely confessed. "I thought after you told me you expected me to stay in your quarters that you had . . . designs."

"Feel better now?"

"I guess," she said quietly, "And I am a little sorry. Not a lot sorry, you understand. I don't like people making decisions for me."

"You're forgiven, my dear." He watched her return to her post by the light board. He said in a soft voice, "I do have designs on you. I think getting secure locks on your doors is probably a good idea if you're intent on protecting your virtue." He leaned in and gently kissed her on the forehead.

_Oh no, she wasn't going to survive this._

+ + + + + _Into Some Stuff_

It was more than a week into the project. Dr. Gold needed some more diamonds. Now he was also wanting some emeralds, sapphires and rubies, too. Lieutenant French had gone to let the Captain know and the ship had diverted to the next closest planet that would provide, Planet Faeland. She had returned to Dr. Gold to let him know he would soon be getting his diamonds but not the other stones, just yet as Faeland didn't have these to sell.

"Where are we stopping?" he'd asked her before she could say anything.

"Faeland. I've never been there, but I understand it's beautiful. I think we're gonna stay for a couple of days. The Captain will likely be ordering shore leave for most of the crew. I didn't know if you wanted to take a short break and go down. . . "

She stopped talking when Gold sprang out of the room. He was out of the door and gone from the hall in a heartbeat.

"What the. . ?" Belle had no idea where the creature had gone off to in such a rush. She went out into the hall, but couldn't see him. She punched the transmitter the Captain had given her, "Lieutenant Commander Swan," she called. She waited. When there was no response, she punched it again, "Emma, this is Belle."

"Sorry, what's up?" it was Emma's voice.

"Dr. Gold has just sprinted out of the Lab. I was telling him that we were about to stop at Faeland and he just got up and ran out of here. He didn't say anything. I thought you should know."

"Thanks, I'll start monitoring," Emma responded.

It was a couple of anxious moments before Emma called her back. "I've got him. He's heading towards the Bridge. I'll alert the Captain. Why don't you come up too? He looks like he's in a high level snit."

Belle had to find her way (again) to the Bridge of the ship. It wasn't a straight line, but she was again able to find it following the blue lines that meant 'Command.' By the time she got there, Dr. Gold was already engaged in a heated exchange with Captain Nolen. She stood just outside the levelator doors as the two argued.

"We cannot stop at Faeland. I can't use their diamonds and if they knew you were getting the diamonds for me, I can promise you, they wouldn't be giving them up," Gold was agitated, pacing. Nolen had kept his seat in the captain's chair.

"Are their diamonds somehow different? Not carbon based? Somehow contaminated?"

"Just by having been in contact with the Fae, they are no good to me. We have a long-standing agreement that we will steer clear of each other."

"Well," replied Captain Nolen. "This puts us in an awkward situation. The next nearest planet that has diamonds is Dragondwell. It's not a safe planet. And we would have to deal with the miners that live far underground. And we can do that, if you insist, but there is no guarantee they will agree to sell us their diamonds or the other stones you want. They are rather peculiar and particular about who they will sell to. But even if the diamond-buy works out, there could be no shore leave on Dragondwell. It's just too damn dangerous. And my crew deserves some down time. If you don't want the Fae's diamonds, fine, but we are still going to stay here for a week to give my crew shore leave. Do you understand?"

"A week! You will delay my project a week! So your people can have shore leave!" Gold had stopped pacing and now was glowering at the Captain.

"I would. Now you can accept diamonds from the Fae and continue working or you can make do with what you have until we get to Dragondwell which should be about twelve days from now."

"I'll. Make. Do." spit out Gold. "Idiot!" he turned and stomped back into the levelator. Belle had followed closely on his heels and was shut in the levelator with him.

She simply stood quietly by the scientist waiting for him to calm himself. His eyes had turned black, reflecting his fury.

"Those bitches won't sell him any diamonds for me, anyway."

Belle tentatively made a neutral comment, "The Fae don't like you?"

"They hate me and I hate them. They would just as likely do something that would make one of their diamonds explode when it got into one of my treatments."

"You two go way back?" she was still trying to keep things neutral.

"More years that you can imagine," he replied, still seething.

"Your families have a feud?"

"No. Just me and them."

Belle took a dive into the deep end of the pool. "What happened between you two?"

"They got mad at me. I was into some. . . stuff and I guess they felt threatened. They spirited my son away from me and I was not able to find him. We have been at each other ever since."

"Your son? They took your child?" Belle was appalled.

"Like I said, I guess they felt threatened by my 'activities.' "

"What the hell were you into, I mean to have such a powerful race feeling threatened?"

"This and that," Gold was evasive. "I had been at it awhile."

"How old are you?" Belle suddenly asked. She had begun to have an unnerving suspicion.

"I don't know," he responded honestly. He thought a moment. "I remember the Tokencraz Disaster. When was that?"

Belle must have appeared open-mouthed in amazement, because when she didn't answer, he turned and asked her with some concern, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I guess. The Tokencraz was over three hundred years ago," Belle knew from history that when starships first started going into hyperspace, coming out was a problem and there had been three ships that had materialized in the same space and time creating an explosion that had impacted the nearby planet and it's moon, killing over a hundred thousand. Ships quickly had developed an early warning system so it had never happened again. "I've just never known anyone who was three hundred years old."

He shrugged. "At least that, maybe more. What does it matter?"

"It must be very lonely. Everyone you know gets old and dies. We must all seem so. . . ephemeral to you."

He just looked at her, "It is lonely, sometimes. That is why I try to enjoy things whenever I can." He turned his attention, his total attention, back to her, "When I see a beautiful woman, I appreciate her. I enjoy her company. I enjoy just looking at her." His eyes had gone into the soft brown she had seen when he was relaxed and comfortable.

He had gotten closer to her and there might have been another kiss, but the levelator stopped and Belle realized they had arrived at the lab. For a long moment, time stood still. He had her backed into a corner of the car.

"Please," she finally asked him, hoping he would let her pass.

"Belle, do you find me attractive?" he asked her.

"Oh please, let's not go there. I'm engaged." She blurted out.

"I've never heard you speak of your true love. He's not here on board ship, is he?"

"No, he's back at headquarters." It had been, what, six months since she had seen her stalwart Commander Gaston? They'd had on-again, off-again communication.

"He let you go?" Gold seemed surprised. They had still not exited the levelator and he still had her cornered, his hands on either side of her, caging her in. He was standing very, very close.

"It was my choice. I didn't want to miss the opportunity I had on board this ship."

"And your fiancé was ok with that? And then I came along and took that opportunity away from you? I guess, I am a selfish pig, a self-centered bastard. And I'd really be a bastard if I tried to seduce an engaged woman, wouldn't I?" He paused for a moment, long enough to let her know it was his decision. He then stepped back just a little. Just enough to let Belle move out of the corner and around him and out the levelator.

_Poor, little scared bunny. He knew he had moved too fast that first night, moving in and kissing her, but then he just hadn't been able to resist her rosy lips and flushed face._ _She was so adorable._

_Her intelligence had come as a pleasant surprise. He had known what he had read in her file, but finding she was as bright as the paperwork had indicated she was, well, that was unexpected. Her curiosity was genuine and refreshing. Her insights were thoughtful. Her attention to task was admirable. _

_This one was worth a little time and effort from him. For now, he'd keep that spitfire Emma on the backburner and go for the bluestocking. _

Once out of the elevator and into the Lab, Belle glanced up at the time and realized that she was officially "off-duty." She had quickly found out that Dr. Gold was just fine with her working more hours, but wouldn't hear of her ever working a minute less than her full shift on any one day. She was too overwrought to say good evening to him. She just left.

_He had watched her bolt down the hall. Poor scared little bunny. _

+ + + + + _Temptation_

She knew she shouldn't let him get to her like he did. She had almost let him kiss her again. Oh hell, it wasn't like she was the one who had stopped him from kissing her. He had been the one to stop. Probably felt sorry for her. Maybe she needed to talk with Archie about her feelings. She was second-guessing her engagement, second guessing her career choice, second-guessing herself.

_But she found him so attractive, alien or not. So compelling, so . . .so. . .desirable. She knew that many other women on board found him unattractive, even ugly, but they weren't seeing what she was seeing. Deep intelligence, clever hands, beautiful eyes and then there was that tight little ass. And when he focused on her, she felt like she was the center of the universe, the most important thing in his world. Well, he had three hundred years of experience in seduction and she was just a little girl from the outskirts of Nowhere who hadn't gotten kissed until she was eighteen and all of her experience, such as it was, had been with one partner. She might be smart, but he was brilliant, one of the premier minds of the century. _

_She succumbed to temptation and, with her ability to access all things in the computer, had pulled up and read more in his personnel record, violating all kinds of rules and guidelines, going into the mental health evaluation. He wasn't trustworthy. He was unstable almost to the point of insanity. He was unpredictable. He could be cruel. He was manipulative, devious and underhanded. _

_This couldn't work out. She would get on this first thing tomorrow. She needed to talk to Archie. She needed to establish some boundaries. She needed to get a transfer away from him. Yeah, a transfer. That would solve everything._

_If she could get one. _

+ + + + + _Transfer and Tantrums_

Belle confided in Emma that she was going to have to request a transfer the next morning when they breakfasted together.

"I'm starting to have feelings for him," she explained. "I'm going to end up compromising my career, my engagement, everything if I continue working with him."

"He's not going to accept your request for a transfer," Emma warned her. "Better be prepared for a full-bore linear tantrum."

"I don't want a scene. Maybe I could just send him a message."

"That man thrives on scenes. You try that stunt and he will likely come after you, grab you by your long, gorgeous curly hair and drag you back to his lab" warned Emma.

Belle could imagine this, Dr. Gold grabbing her and carrying her over his shoulder in full view of the crew and captain. He'd be yelling at her and she could see him locking her in the lab. . . or his quarters. And challenging the captain, refusing to let her go. No, no, a message wouldn't work.

"I guess I need to man up and talk to him directly," Belle said, not happy.

"I guess you do," Emma agreed. "You want me on standby, be ready to provide back-up?"

"Yeah, I do. I'm going to go now and just do it."

+ + + + + _Dr. Gold Offers a Deal_

Belle reluctantly tapped on the Lab door, as she did every morning. There was never an answer and she always had to let herself in. She was nearly fifteen minutes early.

"It's nice if you're early, but you still have to work until the end of your regular hours," she heard him call.

Well, that just put her in a right mood.

"Listen, Dr. Gold. I don't think this is working out. I'm going to the captain and request a transfer."

"No you're not." He told her.

"What? Yes I am," she insisted.

"You won't abandon me, Lieutenant French. I won't be able to finish this project without your help. There is no one else on this ship who can do the job nearly as well as you. If you leave, I might as well close up shop and quit the project."

"No," she shook her head. "I'm not that critical, not that important. I don't believe you."

"How about if I promise to give you second authorship. It would seal your academic reputation."

_It would, but this was a bribe. A tempting bribe, but a bribe nonetheless._

He had come over to her and was standing very close. "How about if I promise not to try to kiss you or touch you unless you ask? How about if I promise not to try to get you in my bed unless you ask? How about if I promise to quit trying to seduce you?"

Belle looked at him, her cornflower blue eyes wide and bright, "Have you been trying to seduce me?"

"Of course I have and I'm slipping if you didn't realize it," he was smirking at her again.

_Belle considered. OK, so he was promising to keep his hands off her. _

_But could she keep her hands off him?_

She made a snap decision. "All right. All right. I. . . I. . . I'll keep on with you for another week but then I get to reconsider."

He nearly skipped across the room, apparently jubilant that he had prevented her from transferring away from his clutches, even if only for a week. "Great, we can run the scenario a couple more times before we are out of diamonds, and then you can scurry back to your 'dream job' until we get more from Dragondwell."

He smirked at her and came back by her, saying in a low voice, "Of course dearie, if you want to touch me, or kiss me, or get me into your bed, that would be quite all right with me."

She rolled her eyes. Just when she had thought he was being nice.

He watched her a moment, knowing his steady gaze discomforted her. He found her blue eyes amazingly beautiful. She was amazingly beautiful.

_Next: Captain Nolen meets with the Ruel Ghorm_

_ Belle entertains her friends_

_ A miner comes on board_

_ The ship is fired upon!_


	4. Shore Leave

+ + + + + _A Little Shore Leave_

Belle had managed to settle into her new quarters. It was an effort on her part, settling into luxury. Although it was really nice, she also felt embarrassed about it, like she had been sleeping with the boss to get favored treatment. Actually she thought, she had gotten the posh rooms for not sleeping with the boss. She did get the secure locks for the door _although part of her believed that if Dr. Gold really wanted into her rooms, something as paltry as double-secure locks wouldn't have stopped him_. She had put her meager wardrobe into a real closet. She had distributed her backup food into a cabinet with a door. With Dr. Gold's work on hiatus she had been able to start back on her original assignment but, even better, she had also gotten to go with Emma for three days down to the planet (No work, no Gold).

It was gorgeous and she and Emma had swam in a pool and laid out under the warm sun. They were able to eat a couple of restaurant meals that far surpassed anything they could get on board ship. The planet was ruled by the Reul Ghorm, a beautiful woman who was strong and rumored to have unusual powers. They knew that Captain Nolan was meeting with her just as a pro forma. He ended up joining them at the end of their third day. He was still looking sharp, attired in his dress uniform. They were sitting poolside enjoying their third alcoholic beverage. They flagged down a waiter and pressed a drink on their captain.

"I got to meet with her and one of her little personal assistants on board her personal space yacht. It is the sleekest, fastest, best armed little ship I've ever been on. It's small, might hold ten people, but I suspect it could take on a full starship if the pilot knew what he was doing." Captain Nolen sat down next to the two women. He shook his head, "And wow, Dr. Gold was right about his relationship with the Fae. The Reul Ghorm," the Captain shared, "knew him well and absolutely refused to sell us any diamonds for his research. She wasn't even sure if she wanted my crew down here if we were 'harboring' him. Something bad happened between those two."

Belle added to the conversation, "He told me it was something that happened a couple of hundred years ago." _She opted not to share the details he had shared with her._

"Really," the Captain said, surprised. "He's that old?"

"He's at least three hundred, maybe older according to what he told me," Belle explained.

"That may explain the depth of his knowledge and some of his odd behaviors," observed the Captain. "Anybody who been around that long is bound to have had some things shake loose."

"Well that sucks," said Emma, looking into the bottom of her glass.

Nolen and Belle turned to Emma in surprise.

"Well, you'd think that someone with three hundred years' experience would do a better job in seduction than turning up the heat in his apartment so I'd start stripping off clothes and then just trying to get me drunk."

"He tried to get you drunk?" Nolen asked. He was nothing if not protective toward his crew.

"Yeah, I almost went under, I was drunker than I am now, but you called me in for something. I've been careful not to be left alone with him since," Emma shrugged it off.

Nolen shook his head. His Security Chief was a sturdy woman. Nolen turned his attention to Belle. "Belle, have you had any issues with him? I know you said you weren't comfortable with him, that you didn't feel safe around him. Has he tried anything?"

Belle gave a weak smile, "We've come to an agreement. If I'm to keep working with him, he won't hit on me."

"You believe him?" Emma asked.

"So far, I've had no reason not to trust him."

"Ladies, I confess, I don't see his appeal to the fairer sex," Nolen had drained his glass and signaled for a second drink.

Belle and Emma both sighed.

"He's absolutely brilliant. A lot of women find that attractive," Belle explained, "Especially women who are pretty smart themselves."

"He's a bad boy. Everything mother warned you about. Forbidden fruit," Emma added.

"And he's intense. When he focuses on you, you are the center of his universe," Belle added.

Emma further explained. "And he's got this dominant thing going, so girls with daddy issues find him particularly desirable."

Belle also added, "And he has a rockin' hard body."

Captain Nolen held up his hand to stop them. "Enough ladies. I'm convinced that he's attractive to women, as least some women."

Emma laughed, "Are you jealous, James David Nolen?" she asked. "You have plenty of women who think you're really hot. Of course, you're not my type. I like tall, skinny guys."

"Like Graham?" Nolen asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Maybe. We haven't done anything, but. . . if things keep going the way they are. . . well, we'll see." Emma was smiling.

"Graham's nice," Belle concurred. "Captain Nolen, what kind of woman do you like?" _She would never have asked him such a personal question if she hadn't been inebriated._

Nolen sipped on his second drink which had just been delivered. He was loosening up a bit. "I was engaged once. To an ice-cool blonde. Our families were thrilled, but I never thought there was any passion. At one point, after the engagement had been announced, I was escorting her back to earth. I was a lowly lieutenant, junior grade, at the time. We were ambushed by a single pirate, a highwayman, except in this case it was a highwaywoman. She stole our Sugar Diamonds and my fiancée's jewelry. I decided to go after her."

"Get out!" Emma was impressed. "What happened?"

"I did catch up with the little thief. She was pretty spirited. Just as I thought I was getting the upper hand, she cold cocked me. That's how I got this scar on my chin," he explained with some embarrassment.

"So that's how you got that! I knew I had not noticed it when you were an upperclassman." Emma observed.

"Yeah, well, she took back half of the jewelry and left me one Sugar Diamond, so it wasn't a complete win. . . or loss. After meeting the little pirate, I did realize though, that I wasn't going to be able to go through with my wedding. I wanted the feelings I got when I was around the pirate and I didn't have them with my fiancée."

"Was it tough, breaking up?" Belle asked sympathetically.

"Not at all. I found that Katherine, my fiancée, had feelings for another man, so it was a relief for her, too. Our families never forgave us, but it was the right thing."

"Ever meet the little pirate again?" asked Emma.

Nolen downed his drink and signaled for a third one. "Oh yes. Our paths have crossed too many times. She's gone on to bigger and better things, but she's still a thief and a pirate." He sat quietly for a moment. "But I have dreams about the woman, and we aren't playing checkers, I can tell you."

Emma was laughing. "Want a little of that pirate stuff, hey Captain," she kidded him.

"Well, we better hope we don't meet up with her. If anything, the woman has gotten meaner and a lot more powerful. She captains a shipload of pirates now and would probably be capable of taking down a starship if she put her mind to it."

"Pirates will go up against a starship!" Belle was astonished. She had thought a starship represented the ultimate power in the quadrant.

"They are bolder, or maybe more desperate, now than they have ever been. They began getting organized more than fifty years ago under the leadership of a Captain Dark. He dropped off the radar about thirty years ago and they went under the leadership of a powerful woman. Nobody knows her name, but most recently she started going under the _nom de voyage_ 'The Dark Queen'."

"Was she related to the Captain Dark who went before her?" Emma asked.

"We don't think so. He was an alien of some type. The Queen is 'mostly human'."

"Mostly human?" Belle questioned him.

"She is reputed to have some strange powers."

"Scary stuff," Emma observed.

+ + + + + _A Dinner Party_

Belle had picked up some interesting foods on the planet and invited several of her friends over for a real home-cooked meal, courtesy of her new fully-appointed kitchen. She'd included Emma and Archie. She also, after some hesitancy, invited Dr. Gold, brilliant, forbidden bad-boy, intense, daddy-issues- be-damned, hard-bodied Dr. Gold.

He bounced in, early, looking over her new quarters, picking up and examining different things, sitting in different chairs, going through her cabinets, opening doors to closets, flitting here and there, never settling down. It was a bit like having a nervous cat with thumbs in to visit.

Dr. Gold narrowed his eyes when Emma came in and she, in turn, glowered at him.

"Lieutenant Commander Swan," he finally greeted her and bowed to her with a flourish.

"Doctor Gold," she nodded at him. "I promised Belle I would behave. I'm guessing she got the same promise from you."

"Yes, but I didn't know _you_ were going to be here," he told her. He glanced over at Belle. "If I had known I would have been more circumspect in making my promise to behave."

Belle came up and handed him some klah and Emma some red wine. She raised her own cup of klah, "To tolerance," she toasted.

Her two guests smiled, raised their own beverages and murmured, "To tolerance."

Archie joined them and Belle got him some red wine. The four shared appetizers. Gold picked over his food, sometimes tasting things, sometimes just sniffing things and returning them to his plate. Just as she experienced in the lab, she often found that Gold was watching her, his eyes half-closed and a slight smile on his face. But she also realized, with a start, that she was spending an inordinate amount of time watching him.

Belle was hesitant when she served the main course. "Dr. Gold, most of this food is from Faeland. I'm hoping you can eat it without a problem."

"I can try," he grinned at her, but as she watched him, she saw that he essentially cut the food into very small pieces and stirred them around his plate, the same way a small child would in order to get out of eating something.

She was gratified to see him try a few things, but then he would cough into his napkin and she knew he had removed the food from his mouth. Emma and Archie, however, both ate with gusto and gave her effusive compliments about the food and her cooking.

They talked about their next destination. Archie was the only one who had been there, aside from Dr. Gold who had, apparently, been everywhere at one time or another.

"It's dry, a rocky desert," Gold told them. "Very little water, humans feel that it's hot. I rather like it."

"It is hot," Archie agreed with him. "The dragons are pretty good sized, territorial and aggressive. And there are plenty of them."

Gold shrugged, "Dragons and heat not so bad. I did spend some time there."

"When were you there?" asked Emma.

Gold hesitated, "A while ago. I had, uh. . . offended the particular group I had been traveling with and they dropped me off there."

"You were marooned on Dragondwell?" Belle was horrified.

"I did fine. I didn't mind the heat. I didn't mind the dragons. I was there for, I don't know. . . a while, until I found the miners and got a ride out."

The other three all gaped at him.

"You survived alone?" Archie asked him. "How did the dragons not find you, fry you and eat you?"

Gold pushed something around on his plate before answering. "I guess they liked me," he said casually.

"They're ravening beasts, mindless killing machines!" Emma protested.

"Not mindless. They're actually very smart. They are long-lived and often," Gold caught Belle's eye, "very lonely. I was able to," he waved his hands in the air, "talk with them. It went well."

"That's amazing," Belle told him, her blue eyes softening. "You can talk with dragons!"

Gold took another drink of klah. "I made friends with some of them and actually rode one of the dragons, a big blue-green one with yellow eyes. It was an exhilarating experience." He smiled at Belle, and for once his smile did not seem like a smirk.

Belle was looking at him like he was someone to be revered. "You rode a dragon like some hero out of an old story!" She felt his eyes flicker over her. _Interesting that she found that so fascinating. Was she really just a romantic at heart, not the starchy librarian? _He slowly nodded.

"Not that much of trick, once I got to really know the dragon. The dragon was fine with it, which is most important if you're trying to ride one."

Emma was shaking her head, "I can't believe how many times I've nearly taken you down, and now you're telling me that you have ridden a freakin' dragon. I guess, I need to treat you with a little more respect."

"Oh Miss Emma, you need to treat me with a lot more respect," he told her, with his usual smirk. _Truth be told, if he had used any of his powers against her, she would have never been able to handcuff him. But as Gold he was trying to live as if he had no powers. He rarely had had to violate that particular self-imposed rule. _

"How is the project going?" Dr. Hopper asked, genuinely interested.

"Any moment," Dr. Gold responded.

"I've told him that perhaps he should try another type of gemstone, rather than relying on diamonds. All he gets with diamonds is muddy crystals that couldn't power a night-light." Belle told the group. "But he just laughs at me and tells me that he is the molecular specialist."

"I've actually told her that it is worth trying and I've included the request for a few sapphires, emeralds and rubies in the next diamond order," Gold shared. "As my assistant, I'm willing to credit her with novel ideas. I don't have much to lose at the moment."

The four chatted until after ten and then both Archie and Emma excused themselves. Both had early mornings. Gold lingered.

"Thank you. This was a nice evening. I enjoyed the company. Especially your company." He told her. He seemed genuine.

"But not the food," Belle observed. "I wasn't even sure about inviting you, knowing your feelings about the Fae. I was afraid it might extend to their food. But I wanted to include you in the evening. You are one of my friends."

His face was impassive. His eyes steady on her. "Thank you, my dear. I'm not often considered to be anyone's friend." _Several years now, it had been. Who was the last one who had called him 'friend'?_

Belle vacillated. Impulsively she leaned in and gently kissed him on the cheek. He stepped back slightly from her and caught her chin to look her directly in the eye. "This is a dangerous game you play, my sweet. Be careful of my heart." He gave her his crooked smile and left her.

_He paused once behind his own door and leaned against it. Oh Belle, be careful. Be careful. He knew he was playing a dangerous game. Getting someone to care about you always carried the risk that you would start to care about them. He had relished the look that Belle gave him when she thought he was a hero from a story. He had savored the thought that she felt he was a friend. And then when she had kissed him, it had taken everything in him not to grab her and take her down, take her then and there. He was pretty sure that she would have fought him, but he was also pretty sure that she would have eventually yielded. However, that was not what he wanted to give her, not how he wanted to have her. He knew he had to be patient. She would come to him, sooner or later. He just hoped it was sooner. He was beginning to become uncomfortable around her. _

+ + + + + _The Miner_

The ship had finally made it to Dragondwell. Gold had fretted about time lost but there was no help for it. Belle had gotten some catch-up work done on her own project so she had not felt the down time. During the last week, she often seemed to be beaming when she was around him, so happy to be getting to work on her own project. She was actually making him feel guilty about taking her project away from her and forcing her to work for him. He didn't like that feeling. He preferred to think of his own work as being the most important thing, and had little to no respect for anybody else's work. Belle was making him begin to think that her work was important too.

The Captain called down to them to let them know that a representative of the miners was on board and could they meet with him in the main conference room.

Belle combed her hair, pinched her cheeks and put on some lip gloss. She quickly changed into her dress uniform which was a jacket over a skirt. She made sure everything was buttoned up and tucked in. Gold, she saw, had selected a black-brown leather outfit.

"You're matching today," she told him, hurrying after him as he marched down the hallway towards the conference room.

He shrugged. "I respect the miners. Don't like them, but I respect them. Their diamonds and other gems are of excellent quality. I wanted to show them I appreciate their work by dressing nicely."

He turned to look at her. "I don't think that I've ever seen you in that uniform, and I've never seen you done up all properly." After looking her up and down, he said, "I don't like you in your uniform."

"Really," she might have been offended, but she had been around him too long. "What would you rather I wear?"

He stopped, "Lace dresses, velvet robes, fine delicately embroidered silk."

"Like a princess," she laughed.

His face was serious and his voice soft. "Like a princess," he agreed.

Belle shook her head. _How could she not be flattered by the man? She felt she tingled when he looked at her, that she could feel his eyes on her. _

Then he added, "At least something that shows of your excellent breasts, little waist, those nice hips and your great legs."

_So much for his charm. Something nice followed by something crude. _

They were stopped before they entered the conference room. Lieutenant Booth gave them a heads-up. "The miner's representative is being difficult. They don't like dealing with people they don't know. They don't like dealing with the Service. It's not the money. They just don't like dealing with strangers."

They entered the conference room together. The Captain was already there with one of the miners. A typical miner, short, swarthy, gruff and grumpy looking.

"I know the Service and we haven't been happy with the deals your people have tried to make with us before. And I don't know this Dr. Gold who's the one who wants to use our diamonds. How can we be assured he's not using our diamonds for some nefarious scheme," the miner's representative wasn't looking very forthcoming.

Gold looked at him closely.

"Leroy?" he said.

The miner turned and looked at him closely. "Ryu Drakon?" the miner replied. "Ryu! I can't believe it. How long has it been?"

"Too long."

"You two obviously know each other," Nolen observed.

"Do I know Ryu Drakon? This guy made the greatest entrance ever. He came riding in on a dragon. One of the big blue-green ones. Swooped in on us. Scared us shitless. He dismounted, said goodbye to the dragon and asked if he could hang out with us until a ship came by. What are you going to do with somebody who comes in like that?"

Gold was smiling and clapped Leroy on the back. "You were fantastic. Taking me in. Taking care of me until a ship finally came by who agreed to take me off world."

Leroy looked the alien scientist up and down, "Now, they can't be feeding you here very well. I know the kinds of food these folks eat."

"It's tough," Gold agreed with him. "Not like the real food your people offered me."

"Couldn't take the cold down in the caverns, though."

"No I couldn't," Gold was nodding in agreement. "I ended up sleeping above ground. I see that you brought me some diamonds and some other little gems for my latest project."

"Absolutely. What are you transmuting now?" the little man asked him.

"Trying to make Sugar Diamonds. Getting close, but not quite there."

"Well I hope ours turn the corner for you," the miner's rep turned to Nolen. "Why didn't you tell me that Ryu was the one who wanted the diamonds?"

Gold gently interjected, "I'm no longer going by the name Ryu Drakon. He knows me as Dr. Gold."

"Oh yeah, like you were someone else before you came to us," Leroy nodded in understanding, "It would make sense that you are someone else now."

Belle and Nolan had watched the exchange between the two with some astonishment. The grumpy miner was all smiles and chit-chat and Dr. Gold, well, he was actually affable and pleasant.

"Let's negotiate our price," Nolan began and prepared to pull out the Space Service vouchers when the ship shook.

"What was that?" asked the miner. "Some kind of turbulence?"

"Probably, let me just check on things," Nolan excused himself and stepped out of the room to make a call to the bridge.

"Now you didn't used to keep this pretty of company, Ryu or do I call you Gold, now. Who is the dish?"

"I'm Gold now. And this 'dish' is Lieutenant French. She is my assistant on the project. Absolutely invaluable. And she can make klah."

"How ever did you learn?" the miner asked her. "He complained the entire time he was with us that we didn't serve him anything worth drinking."

"I taught myself," Belle couldn't help but smile. She had not seen Dr. Gold this relaxed, ever.

Nolan came back into the room, a worried expression on his face. He spoke first to Leroy, the miner, "Sir, I am going to need you to come with me." He then turned to Gold and Lieutenant French, "I'm going to need you two to return to the lab immediately and lock yourselves in. Take the diamonds with you."

"Sir?" Belle asked.

"We're being fired upon," Nolan said shortly.

+ + + + + _The Cabinet_

Belle sat quietly in her usual place in the lab, white knuckling the edge of the table. Periodically the ship would lurch and nearly throw her out of the seat.

"Haven't been in many battles, have you dear?" Gold asked her. He was sitting across from her, also in his usual place.

"I've not been in _any_ battles. And I don't know what is harder. Sitting here, waiting for news, not knowing how it's going or being on the bridge in the heat of things, watching while it happens."

"I've been in both," he told her. "When you are watching it happen, you sometimes will see disaster heading right for you and there is that long moment when you know it's going to happen and you can't do anything to stop it. When you are waiting, sometimes the worst just happens without any warning – no time to fret about it."

"I'm kinda scared," she confessed.

"I would hope so. What kind of numbskull would not be scared?"

"I wonder who would be attacking us? This is a Confederation starship. We're still well within Confederation territory."

Gold leaned back a moment. "Here, now, I suspect pirates."

"Space pirates?" Her eyes dilated. If the situation hadn't been so serious, it would have been funny. This is what Nolen had been talking about.

"They waylay ships for their Sugar Diamonds, sometimes food and water. Usually they will leave enough for the ship to make it to the next repair station. They usually leave the crew alone. More nuisances than anything else," he explained.

"So they would just want the Sugar Diamonds then?"

"Usually. Although they have been known to take hostages for ransom money and. . ."

"What?"

"They have been known to take crew members if one of the pirates fancies them."

Belle shuddered. "Why do you think the Captain put us in here?"

"Because this is the most protected part of the ship. If the hull implodes, we're likely to be safe here. And there are at least three firewalls between us and the rest of the ship and, if it is pirates, they aren't likely to waste time trying to find what Nolen has stashed down here. We should be safe here."

"OK," Belle nodded, but her blue eyes were still wide and she licked her lips nervously.

"Hey, this might help," Gold got up and turned on his ship's communicator. He made sure it was one-way only, so they could hear but not be heard. It was mostly noise that made no sense. They could sometimes make out Emma's voice. She was directing troop action. There were frequent calls to Dr. Hopper. They were taking injuries but nothing sounded like there had been any casualties.

Belle got up and began pacing. She heard Emma's report to the Captain, "We've been boarded, sir. About twenty of them. Firing knockout waves. I'm going to try to get them surrounded."

Belle stopped pacing. "This isn't good."

Gold came over to her and Belle leaned into him. He kept his hands by his side, but he could feel that she was trembling.

She saw that he was keeping his hands by his side, although clearly struggling to do so, and had to smile, "It's all right if you touch me." He immediately had her in a secure hug, rubbing her arms with his hands and saying soothing words to her, turning her around so that they were face to face.

Belle liked him being this close. He smelled good, an odd spicy smell and he was warm, warmer than the typical human. There was a solid feel to him that she felt could easily hold her up and hold on to her. She looked up and found herself gazing directly into his eyes. Her lips parted. She was so close, certainly, surely he would kiss her.

"Only if you say 'yes'," he reminded her.

"Yes, please," she whispered.

"Please what? Belle, once you ask me, I'll not be offering you a chance to rescind the invitation," he warned her.

"Kiss me, please." Probably not the best decision she had ever made, but the battle sounds and concerns for her own safety all drove her. _What if something happened to them? They would have lost the opportunity forever. And what a waste it would have all been._

His mouth closed on hers and it was everything she remembered. Hot, sweet, demanding, tasting like some exotic spice. She felt her head begin to swim and, just like before, felt her knees get weak. She knew she was clinging to him and kissing him back. Really kissing him back.

She vaguely heard Emma's voice, in a hushed whisper, speaking, "I think we've made it arou. . . "It was cut off and there were the sounds of a scuffle and bodies thudding.

In a moment there was an explosion. Gold managed to stop kissing Belle for a moment. _That was the first firewall and it sounded like they had taken Emma out of action! _He glanced at the delicate brunette who had closed her eyes and was nestled in his arm like a contented cat. He could almost hear her purring. He wanted nothing more than to continue to kiss her senseless, to relish her sweet almond taste and bury his hands in her soft, silken hair, to bury himself in her warm . . . _Damn pirates!_

He gave her one more thorough kiss and then softly called her name, "Belle, Belle."

"Uh huh," she murmured, oblivious to her current situation, responding only to his presence, his touch, his voice.

"My sweet, you need to hide."

She opened her eyes. "What?"

"They're coming through the firewalls," and at that moment there was a second explosion. "They are breaking in to the lab. You need to hide. I'm putting you in the cabinet. It'll be a tight fit, but you should be safe."

"What about you?" Now that was nice. She was actually worried about him.

"I'll be fine. I have a plan." He escorted her to one of the back cabinets and helped her climb in. Before shutting the door, he leaned in and gave her another quick kiss.

She reached out and grabbed his arm. "Take care of yourself." He shut the door to the cabinet. She huddled down. The doors were louvered so she could see some of the lab through the narrow slats. She could hear everything. She quickly shifted around so she was comfortable, not knowing how long she might have to remain in the tight quarters.

There was a third explosion and she knew the pirates had broken through the final firewall. They would be in the lab in a manner of moments. She stilled her breathing and tried to slow down her heart rate. She could hear her blood pumping in her ears. It was so loud.

There was the fourth explosion. A smaller one, just enough to take the doors of the lab out. She could see black boots as two individuals entered the room.

_NEXT: Captured!_

_ Gold helps Emma_

_ The most dangerous man in the galaxy_

**A.N. Got to thank my wonderful reviewers Charlie (guest), thedoctorsgirl42, NightowlsNest, PrincessTiannah, Artemis Samhain, landscapegirl, Notsureyet18, loop (guest), gee (guest), Claire( guest) and anon(guest). Thank you, thank you, thank you. (It's like little presents when these reviews come in, I promise you).**

**Several of you have asked if the rating will go up. Maybe, but I'm trying to write something that will keep people's interests without smut (and that turns away some readers, I think). Let me know if you have a strong feeling one way or another. With the capture of several of our brave crew, there is the real possibility of a little pepper going into the pot. Nolen, Hopper, Emma and Belle all have interesting liaisons looming ahead of them. Thx txm.**


	5. Found

+ + + + + _Found!_

From her cramped position inside the cabinet, Belle could see two sets of black boots. They had entered the room after the fourth and smallest explosion, one that had been just enough to take the doors of the lab out.

She could see one set of boots were spike-heeled. Through the louvers she could see that these boots seemed to go on forever. The other set of boots, heavier set, were topped by a purple cloak, long and swirling.

She heard a woman's voice, "Awesome job, Hatter. I know the Captain was wondering just what Nolen was hiding down here. And oh my, well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Belle could scarcely credit what she was hearing. It was Gold responding, but not the authoritative, in-charge man she knew. This voice belonged to a cringing, whining creature.

"Oh, please, please do not hurt me, great lady. I can do you no harm."

"What is it?" a man's voice, the Hatter's? spoke this time.

"Just a humble helper, great lady, kind sir. Captain Nolen rescued me from Faeland. The Fairies had been so mean to me. So mean. He gave me a home. He gave me a job."

"Yeah," she heard the woman, who did not sound quite convinced at Gold's harmlessness.

"Hey," it was the man's voice this time. "What do we have over here? Looks like diamonds. Nice ones and quite a few."

"That must have been what the miner had brought aboard. They are nice, but unpolished and uncut. What would a Confederation starship want with raw diamonds? Something is going on here." The woman seemed even more suspicious. "Search the room Hatter, they could still be hiding something else and put the diamonds out to throw us off."

"I'm all that's here," Belle heard Gold protest.

Belle could also hear the man begin to open all the cabinet doors and open drawers, rifling through their supplies.

Gold began to whine. "What is the tall man looking for, great lady? Only strange chemicals, pretty glass containers, and odd metal thingy's here. Only pretty stones here. Only me here."

The Hatter continued to open things.

Gold began to cough and hack. Belle knew he was trying to distract the intruders but neither of them were attending to him.

It was inevitable. In due time, the Hatter opened the cabinet she was crouched in. She tried to pull back but there was no where for her to go. The young man had seen her.

"Well, well, what have I found here?" she heard him say as he reached in and grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out. Her body gracelessly followed and she tumbled out in a crumpled heap at his feet.

"Oh, this one's pretty," he reached down and pulled her up. "and just a teeny bit of a thing." He touched Belle's hair which had tumbled down around her shoulders. She reflexively pulled back but his grip on her arm held her in place. The man was wearing some of the most outlandish clothes she had ever seen. She could now see the full, long-tail coat, cut out of purple cloth. There was also a bright red vest, green pants and a yellow shirt. He wore, true to his name, a tall formal hat.

The woman came over to look at her. She was beautiful, slender, with pale skin and dark brown hair. She had fine features, dark eyes and a wide voluptuous mouth. Except for the black boots, she was dressed entirely in red, a very short red skirt and a red top that exposed her midriff and a substantial portion of her cleavage.

"What's your name, girl?" the woman asked her.

"Lieutenant Isobelle French," Belle responded. Gold came up behind her. He was still whining and gesturing.

"She looks after me, great lady. She is nice to me."

"What is your title, girl," the woman in red asked her, noting her uniform.

"I'm the ship's Information Officer," Belle answered.

The woman in red looked puzzled. "The librarian? Why would they have the librarian and," she glanced at Gold who was plucking things out of the air, "an idiot sequestered in the lab. . . with a bucket of diamonds? There has got to be more to this." She stared at them both for a moment.

"Lady Red, we don't have time to linger. I suggest we have them come with us," the Hatter spoke respectfully to her.

"All right," Lady Red nodded and The Hatter quickly gathered up the diamonds, pocketing them and herding both Gold and Belle before them.

Belle was distressed seeing the amount of damage to the ship as they went through the halls. They had to walk the entire distance to the bridge since the levelators were all inoperable. They went by several crew members who had been rendered unconscious, at least Belle hoped they were just unconscious and not dead. The Hatter asked for a pause and stopped to retrieve a mostly unconscious Emma. Emma was slumped in a heap at the point of the initial blast. Belle couldn't repress a cry of despair.

Emma had visible bruising, including one nasty one running along the side of her face. She appeared groggy and was stumbling, mostly asleep. The Hatter held her by the arm and attempted to drag her along with them.

Pirate Red glanced back. "What are you doing?"

"Stopping to get this one. I like her," the Hatter replied. "She's feisty. She very nearly took me down. I'd prefer to keep her close." He stopped a moment pulling Emma upright and pulling her hair back to look at her face. "She's quite a beauty too. I want to keep her." When Emma was unable to keep to her feet, the Hatter lifted her and tossed her over his shoulder.

"Well, be careful with this one, please Hatter. You broke your last three playthings," the woman cautioned him.

Belle's blood went cold at hearing this. This was her best friend they were talking about. Although they made sure to keep an eye on her, Belle noted that they were not watching Gold closely. He was trailing along, stopping to examine different things, keeping up with them but often gazing off and muttering to himself. Once he was able to catch Belle's eye and he gave her the smallest smile. She was able to give him a small smile. Belle suspected that he had picked up at least one weapon along the way, unbeknownst to their captors.

They were pushed along and finally arrived at the bridge. A short brunette wearing sturdy brown boots and dressed otherwise entirely in white was holding the bridge at gun point.

"'Bout time, Ruby," the brunette in white said to them. On the bridge were Nolan, Graham, Leroy, and Dr. Hopper along with the core bridge crew. "What do you have there?" she asked, noticing Gold as he meandered out into the bridge.

"This is the bridge?" he said in a high-pitched sing-songy voice. "Never been on the bridge before. Been kept down in the lab, helping to clean up."

"He's harmless, White," Nolan said. "Leave him alone." Nolen was quick to catch on the Gold's ruse.

"I'm just not so sure," Ruby, the tall brunette in red explained to her captain. "We found these two in the lab," she gestured to Belle and Gold, "along with a bucket of raw diamonds. I just have the feeling there is something going on."

Nolan said patiently to the woman in white, "You've got your Sugar Diamonds, White. You've disabled our weapons. You got what you came for."

"Maybe. Maybe," the woman responded. "I'm getting a feeling here, too. Ruby, good call. I think there is something going on." She turned to Nolen, "I want to take you and a couple of others with me."

"Why?" Nolan asked her. "We aren't ransomable. The Service will let us rot with you. Why would you want to take any of us?"

"Oh, Captain Nolen," the woman sauntered over to him, smiling. "Pretty Captain Nolan. I've been watching you for some time. I find you quite charming. I've so been wanting to get you away from all this," she narrowed her eyes at him. She turned to walk toward the door, "Now I'm also taking these two," she pointed to Graham and Leroy, "for a little added security." She nodded at Gold and Belle, "And these two I'm taking because I think there's a story behind them."

"I'm taking her," the Hatter spoke up, gesturing towards the comatose Emma.

"In that case," said Ruby, the tall brunette, "I'm taking this one. I kinda like him. He was helping our people who were injured." She motioned towards Dr. Hopper.

"Great, just about the entire bridge crew," Captain White sighed. "All right, all of you," she pointed, "Follow the Hatter" She motioned with her gun and Nolen, Graham, Leroy, Hopper, French and Gold were led out. The Hatter continued to carry Emma.

+ + + + + _Dr. Gold Helps Emma_

They were boarded onto a smaller transport vessel and placed in a holding cell. While Ruby held the gun on them, the Hatter placed shackles on their ankles. He began with the men, Nolan, Graham, Leroy and then Hopper. When he attempted to place them on Gold, the green man began to whine and cry and complain that the metal hurt him, hurt him so bad.

"Please, please I can do you no harm. Don't, don't. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts so bad."

The Hatter hesitated and opted to leave him alone. He placed the shackles on Emma who was still struggling to clear her head. He caressed her ankle and up her leg before placing the restraints on her. She swatted at him ineffectually.

"What the hell did you slip me?" she managed to ask him. Her eyes were glazed and her speech was slurry.

"Just a little tranquillizer. A special blend I brew up myself. It'll take a couple of hours to completely wear off."

"Is it typical to feel like I can barf at any moment?"

"Some do," he told her with a smile.

"Great something that makes you barf and sleep at the same time. Not a great drug," complained Emma, falling back onto the cool floor of the holding cell they were being stored into.

The Hatter then turned to Belle and he placed the shackle on her ankle. He also took his time with her, stroking her leg, letting his hand go up above her knee. Now she was regretting she was wearing a skirt. At least Emma's pants gave her some protection from the pawing. Belle pulled back but he held her leg and laughed. "Pretty little girl." He locked the iron on her.

He left Gold free and he and Ruby left the prisoners alone.

Gold continued to wander around, checking out things. He waited, checking the door to be sure their captors were gone. He then went over to Nolan and, whispering, let him know that he had managed to secure three guns and gave one to him, and another to Graham.

"I seriously doubt we'll get an opportunity to use these guns, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity. They're taking us to their mother ship and from there I don't know. I'm afraid they will break us up and it will be harder for us to get away. Belle and I have told them that you rescued me from the Fae who had been mistreating me. I've only been aboard your ship for a short time and I'm completely harmless. I think I need a different name."

"How about Mr. Green?" Nolan suggested.

"Perfect. I'm going to try to help Lieutenant Commander Swan. She looks like she's going to vomit." He quickly went down to Emma. He shook her and was finally able to get her to look into his eyes. He glanced over at Hopper.

"She's been heavily drugged. I'm surprised she's even able to sit up. I heard the Hatter tell her that he popped her a some kind of tranquillizer," Hopper assessed her. He suggested Gold try to find something for her to vomit into and see if there was any water available that could be used to wipe her forehead and to try to re-hydrate her.

"I believe I have something better," Gold responded. He grasped Emma's chin and called her name sharply, "Emma, Emma, look at me." He shook her and called again,

"Emma, open your eyes and look at me."

Blinking several times, Emma managed to get her eyes half-way opened. "Wha du you wa?" she gasped out. "I'm gonna be sick," she added.

"No you're not. Listen, princess, I can make you better. Do you trust me?" he asked her, speaking in a low, urgent voice.

"Hell no, why the hell would I?" Emma spoke relatively clearly when communicating her revulsion.

"Well never mind that then. I'm going to kiss you Emma. I'm going to pull the drug out of your body."

"I'm gonna throw up and you're gonna kiss me? You one brave guy," Emma giggled.

Gold smiled, "I'll risk it." And he gently put his lips to hers. As the captain, crew and Leroy watched, there was a faint purple tinge about their faces. The kiss lingered and Belle couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable, particularly when she was so recently coming off kissing the man herself. Interestingly, sitting right next to Emma and Gold, she could see part of what the man was doing – just putting his entire focus on the woman, so that she was his center of the universe. She felt herself getting warm. Emma was whimpering and her hands were finding their way up to his shoulders and his neck, holding on to him. _Belle wondered if this was what she looked like when he kissed her._

As he pulled away from her, Emma appeared still groggy but her eyes were clearing. She was still hanging onto him but slowly seemed to be pulling herself back to reality.

"I left the bruising, they would suspect something if they saw you without the bruises," he explained. "It would be good if you could pretend to still be groggy and sick whenever they come back in. They won't think that you are a threat. Emma, I have another gun. I'm giving it to you. I think that a gu may be a more effective weapon in your hands than in mine."

"It would appear that you may have some other weapons, Mr. Green," the Captain said, pointedly. "Magic?"

Gold glanced up at him and began to pull back from cradling the security officer. "That I do, sir. That I do."

"So three of us are armed. Three of us are unarmed and one of us," he glanced at Gold, "is magic," Nolan summarized their situation.

"Knowing what I do about pirates, I suspect that after they take us to the mother ship, they will take us to their home planet," Gold shared. "Realistically there are many more of them than of us and they won't hesitate to kill us all for an infraction by one of us."

Nolen nodded. "I'm afraid you're right. I'm not sure if we'll have any chance of making a break without risking our lives. These pirates all live outside the law. Keep alert everybody for any opportunity. And Gold. . ."

The alien scientist looked at him.

"Thank you. Without your efforts we would be a lot worse off."

"Oh, I've been in tighter places and come out just fine, I can assure you." He just smiled at the rest of the party.

+ + + + + _Staying Calm_

As Gold had predicted, they felt the ship docking and assumed it was going into a larger star vessel, but no one came for them. The group surmised that they would continue to stay in the smaller transport ship and then, once the starship reached their headquarters, would be taken down to the planet in the same transport. Not bothering to move them reduced their chances of breaking away.

Belle kept vigil. She talked awhile with Emma.

"Are you all right?" she had to ask.

"Feeling a bit beat up, but the grogginess and barfiness is gone. I had the strangest dream there."

"Oh yeah?" Belle asked.

Emma gave a short laugh. "I thought that Gold was kissing me and pulling the drug out of my body."

"Uh. . . . Emma," Belle wasn't sure where to begin.

"Oh god, tell me that really happened. Right here in front of everybody. Gag. Now I am going to be sick."

"Hey, it looked like you were enjoying it," Belle teased.

Emma might have been blushing. "Well, from what I remember it was pretty good. He's proficient."

"He is that," Belle agreed.

"Girl, does that mean that you and he have. . . "

"Uh huh. Right before we were taken prisoner. I . . . I asked him to."

Emma considered. "So, he was pretty good for you, too?

"Oh yeah. Of course he was using his hands with me and he wasn't with you."

Emma shook her head. "Hands, huh."

Belle glanced over at the man. He was sitting by Nolen and Graham and the men were discussing different options. From time to time one or the other would shake his head. "Too dangerous," "Not enough of us," "Might work, but iffy," and so on. From time to time, she would catch Gold looking her way. His eyes would flicker over her and he would smile. She would smile back.

After a couple of hours, the Hatter came in with several armed guards. Another guard brought up the rear pushing a cart laden with food and dining accoutrements. He whistled for Gold, who promptly came over, bowing and scraping and otherwise appearing very eager and very humble, anxious to please, anxious to be helpful.

"Here, imp, get these people some food."

"Yes sir, of course sir." Gold began to ladle out the stew they had sent and carefully took a bowl with a spoon around to each member of the party. Emma was feigning sleep, so he put her bowl by her and patted her hair, "Pretty lady."

The Hatter watched him closely. "She still out?"

"She has moved a little sir, but does not wake up. Maybe soon, maybe soon," Gold told him hopefully."

"I hope she's ok. I haven't got to play with her yet." He shrugged and his gaze went to Belle. "Of course, if she's too drugged, there's always the pretty little librarian. Captain White wouldn't mind if I took her."

Gold's face became very serious. "She's no fun any more sir," he said sorrowfully. "The little librarian has something wrong with her. That's why she was in the lab."

"What? Some kinda disease. Is she contagious?" The Hatter pulled back.

"I don't know. I know they told me I would be all right. I did not have to worry. But she stayed in the Lab all the time," Gold reported guilelessly.

"Well, whatever. Get something for yourself to eat," the tall young man seemed to lose interest in Belle. "I'll be back in an hour and we'll take each one of you out to pee."

"Good idea sir, good idea." Gold was almost fawning in his agreement.

After the Hatter and the guards had left them, the captives bent their attention to their food.

"Not the worst I've had," observed Nolen.

"This suggests they don't plan to kill us, at least not right away or they wouldn't waste food on us," observed Emma, now sitting up "I suspect that for some of us they are going to try to hit the families and friends up for ransom – you Nolen, Leroy and Belle. Graham, Archie and myself don't have families so I'm not sure what they're planning for us. Sounds to me that the Hatter is just interested in me for some playtime."

"Emma," Belle exclaimed. "How can you be so calm. It sounded like he plans to . . . uh. . . to. . . "

"Belle, he plans to rape me," Emma spoke without compromise. "That's pretty obvious. My best hope of surviving is to go along with it. If I kill him or hurt him, it will likely go pretty badly for me and I'll end up dead and some of you might also be killed as part of their vengeance. If I can convince him that I'm a real person, then there's always the possibility of Lima Syndrome, that he'll feel sorry for me and let me go. Or, if nothing else, he'll eventually just get tired of me."

"Emma, you know we'll do everything we can to protect you," Captain Nolen told her.

"Captain, you may be looking at something similar with Captain White. She obviously has plans for you," Gold told Nolen quickly. "She is looking at you like you are one great big popsicle and she wants to lick all the red off."

Gold had actually made the Captain blush. "And Archie, dear doctor, you too with that tall brunette. What did they call her? Red? Ruby? She's out for you."

Archie nodded and spoke up. "We all need to stay calm. We need to make the best decisions to keep our selves alive, whatever we need to do. We need to stand by each other and be as strong as we can."

"Agreed. We need to stay on the ready in case an opportunity comes up," the Captain advised them.

But there was no opportunity when the guards and the Hatter came back in to take them all to the toilet. They was released one at a time and taken under guard. Emma pretended to be just aroused enough to follow their directions and was able to stumble out and back, once falling into the Hatter. He had to grab her to keep her upright. She murmured, "Thank you." They were told that should they try anything, one of the other guards would take out two of the remaining prisoners. They got the message.

It was at least another hour, maybe two, when they felt some movement changes in the ship and Gold suggested that they had arrived at the pirate's home planet and their transport vessel would be going down to the ground.

"They will be coming for us and likely taking us into what they call their Grand Hall. It's where their leader holds court."

"How do you know all this?" Leroy asked him.

"I used to be one of them," Gold said with his crooked smiled.

+ + + + + _A Dangerous Man_

The entire party swiveled their heads to look at Gold.

"It was awhile ago, before some of you were born. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. It was fun. . . while it lasted."

The group was still in shackles, except for Gold, who had re-adopted his vacant expression and silly mannerisms. They were roughly led out of the transport ship. This world was dark and cold and wet. There was a thick cloud cover and the grounds were covered with mist. Everything looked black and dirty. They were herded into the courtyard of a large, very dark stone castle. The parapets stretched high above their heads. They could see a number of figures, most of whom appeared to be armed, lining the street or looking out of windows. They were gathered into a great indoor hall. The walls were adorned with curtains and mirrors. They were propelled toward a throne at the back of the hall. The throne was on a raised platform and upon the throne sat a beautiful, dark-haired woman. She was dressed all in black, her dress long and tight and revealing.

"What do we have here?" She asked Captain White. Her tone was cold, imperious. She appeared bored.

"Prisoners from the Starship Grimm," Captain White announced in clear tones that could be heard through-out the hall.

The dark-haired woman looked impressed. "Is this Captain Nolen who has interfered in my business so often?"

"It is," White confirmed the identification.

"Very good, step-daughter. Impressive. Who else do we have?"

White motioned and Graham was pushed forward next. "One of his officers that I thought her majesty might find appealing."

Her majesty looked over the tall, rugged officer with evident approval. "You know my tastes well, dear. Excellent. And?"

"A drawf-miner from Dragondwell. His people may be interested in ransoming him."

"Interesting. The miners are usually quite loyal to each other and will pay well to get one of their own back."

"This," White motioned for Archie to be pushed forward, "caught the attention of my first officer Ruby Red. He is a healer and attended to some of our people during the boarding."

The Queen made a face, disinterested. She was not interested in those who were weak or unlucky. She waved off Archie.

"And this is their security officer," Emma was shoved forward, still staggering, "who caught the attention of my security officer."

Still disinterested, the Queen pointed to Belle. "And this little thing is?"

"She was hiding in their Lab, deep inside the ship. She tells us that she is their Information Officer."

The Queen shook her head, "A librarian? We have no use for a librarian. Send her where you think she'll be useful."

The Queen stretched back in her chair. "Anyone, anything else?"

"There was this," Captain White turned around and searched the crowd looking for Gold, who had disappeared. She addressed her own troops, "Where is the green man?"

No one saw him or how he got there, but Gold seemed to just appear at the bottom of the throne's dais. They heard him, "Hello, dearie!" He was addressing the Queen.

The Queen shot out of her seat, pointing at Gold and shouting, "Restrain him!" she ordered.

Troops, both the Queen's and White's, rushed forward but were all thrown back with a wave of Gold's hand. "No, no. Not this time, dearie." He stood and approached the Queen. "You thought you were well rid of me. That leaving me on Dragondwell would be the end of me. You thought that I was dead." He bowed and stepped up to the throne. "I think you may have made a mistake."

The Queen rose from the throne, stepping away from Gold and, quickly moving forward towards Captain White, she viciously slapped her step-daughter across the face. "You fool! You put irons on a librarian but you let the most dangerous man in the galaxy walk freely amongst us."

_Next: Captain Dark returns_

_ The captives are (mostly) ill-treated_

_ Belle's prior agreement is nullified_

**Thanks to all the wonderful, wonderful reviewers: thedoctorsgirl42 Jaybird6 (Guest), Claire (Guest), paulawer, NightowlsNest, rEvEIwEr (Guest) (fyi; Both Ryu and Drakon mean dragon in different languages), THIRTEENpointONE, PrincessTiannah, landscapegirl, and ****Grace5231973. **

**I sincerely appreciate the feedback, especially on the T vs. M ratings. I may push the limits (especially with the next chapter) but I am going to try to stay in the T-Zone for this story (rather than upping the rating or splitting the story). Thx so much. txm**


	6. A Dangerous Man

A.N. OK folks, this chapter is a bit rough (especially on Emma and Belle), but remember the road to true love ain't easy.

+ + + + + _A Most Dangerous Man_

"You put irons on a librarian but you let the most dangerous man in the galaxy walk freely amongst us!" The Queen was furious _and frightened. _"You idiot child, Captain Dark has more power in his little finger than an entire fleet of starships. And you have just brought him, unchained, unfettered, right inside to the heart of our fortress!"

"And just what good would have restraints have done, dearie?" Gold asked and snapped his fingers. The shackles unfastened from all of his companions. He remained still, sitting on the dais. He looked Regina up and down. "Now, girlie, tell me why I shouldn't change you into a spider and step on you. . . or put _you_ in shackles."

The Queen stepped back. She reassessed the situation and abruptly changed her tack. She bowed deeply and addressed Gold directly, "My dear, dear Captain Dark, of course it was all a terrible misunderstanding, darling. I would never have tried to hurt you. I. . .I had them go back and look for you, but they weren't able to find you. I felt terrible about what happened. I knew you would be furious. But it was all a horrible mistake," the Queen actually did manage to sound as if she was sorry.

Gold glowered at her for a moment and then smiled. "Oh, I have so missed you, Regina. No one can lie as well as you."

"Oh my liege, you were always the best," she insisted. She put her hand on his arm in an affectionate, familiar manner. "Please, sit on the throne. Take your rightful place."

Gold stood and put his hands on the Queen's waist and brought her close to him. "I shall, girlie. I shall. But first we do need to dispose of my former shipmates."

The former shipmates were watching opened mouth at yet another personality change from the mercurial Gold. He was now a swaggering, confident pirate lord. _Privately, Belle thought that he wasn't actually that much different from the swaggering confident scientist he had previously been_. _What had the Queen called him, "Captain Dark?" Wasn't that the name Nolen had given to the pirate leader who had led the pirates fifty years ago?_

He now sat on the Queen's throne. "I say, let them go as your lovely step-daughter had suggested. She is welcome to Nolen. You, my dear, will likely enjoy the attentions of Graham, here. The good doctor goes to Miss Ruby Red. The lovely Security Officer Swan goes to the Hatter." He turned to the Hatter and addressed him quietly, "And mind you Hatter, she is one of my favorites. Don't kill her or break her bones. I may want her when you are finished with her."

Gold turned back to the Queen. "Leroy, my old friend, can go to a holding cell, a comfortable one, very comfortable – his people will ransom him, I'm sure. As for the librarian, she can make decent klah. I'd send her to the kitchen."

Nolen spoke on their behalf of the captives. He was furious with the betrayal of Gold and only the actions of multiple guards prevented him from launching himself at the alien scientist. "You bastard. With all your powers, you could have saved us early on. We were trying to protect you, to help you and, now, you are willing to just hand us over."

"You're tiresome," Dr. Gold told him, snapped his fingers again and re-shackled Nolen. Gold turned his attention back to the Queen who had settled herself at his feet. He didn't give his former shipmates a second glance as they were led away to different parts of the castle.

"Tell me what you were doing with those horrible, stodgy people, my lord. I never would have imagined you working for the Service," the Queen looked up at him, an adoring look on her face. _Regina knew she had to ingratiate herself with the creature again. He was just too powerful, along with being capricious and vindictive._

"Oh just doing a couple of science experiments. You remember how I liked to dabble."

She laughed. _It never hurt to laugh at a man's jokes. _"I do. Always so many different things going on. The cleverest mind I've ever encountered. What kind of experiments?" she pressed him. _What was he really doing here and with these people?_

"Oh this and that," he evaded her question.

"Something to do with gems from Dragondwell?" she persisted. _Pressing her limits, she knew._

He sighed. She was too insightful and wasn't going to let it go. "Trying to change them into something more valuable," he said trying to make it sound of only minor importance.

Regina was quick, if nothing else. "Sugar Diamonds! You were trying to make Sugar Diamonds! If you could manage that, you could rule the galaxy. So they were funding your research, including getting you diamonds that you could practice on." Regina was nearly sitting in his lap. "How close are you, darling?" _Damn, she had forgotten what a genius he was._

"Not quite there. Kept hitting different snags. Most recently I'd run out of diamonds to practice transmutation on." He looked around. The Hall was certainly more sumptuous than when he had last sat in it. Furnishings upgraded, lots more people. "Looks like you've made some improvements since I was last here. A lot of mirrors, I see."

She smiled, "I have been busy. Had some time on my hands, with you not occupying them. And it's been, what thirty years, since you've been gone? I wanted it to. . . reflect me and my rule."

"I'm sure. You didn't want people to continue to see you just as my whore, but a power in your own right." He stretched, "You also acquired a step-daughter, I see."

"Yes, her father had quite of bit of territory that I wanted. He met with an 'unfortunate' accident soon after our marriage. I not only got a lot of choice territory, I acquired a title. I'm now 'Queen'."

"You are indeed. It quite fits."

Regina hesitated a moment. "What are your plans, Dark? Do you want to take back over the piracy operation? Do you need a lab for your continued research for the Sugar Diamonds? Just passing through?" _Let him pick something they could both live with, please._

"I'd like to finish up my project. Is that something you could help me with?"

Regina almost melted up against him. _This was too easy. _"I would be happy to help with that. You just tell me what you need. I can get you any equipment you want. Were you working with anyone?"

_Gold felt prickles along the back of his neck. _"The little librarian had been my assistant. I could probably put just about anyone else in the position, I'm sure, but," he sighed, "she was very good." He tried to keep his voice noncommittal.

_So that was what was going on. He was being too, too unconcerned. Regina knew him too well to think this was just a casual fling. _"Oh, you're welcome to have her back. Didn't you send her to the kitchen? I'll get her back for you. No sense in you having to break in anyone else."

He ran his hands along her arms. Regina was very, very close and, as he had remembered her, she was still quite beautiful, not having aged a day. He considered sampling the lips she was offering him, but instead sighed and kissed her on the forehead. _He knew she would have likely admitted him into her bed, but knowing her as he did, he would sooner have put his dingus inside a wasp's nest. Lying down with her was out of the question; one moment of laxity and he'd be off, probably to some frozen hell this time – he knew she wouldn't make the mistake of sending him to a hot, desert world again._

"Don't you have a healthy, young man waiting for you in your own bedroom?" he asked.

"Oh yeah. I'd forgotten about him. No one holds a candle to you, darling." She gave an exaggerated sigh, "I guess, I'll go see him," she stood. "But you know. . . well, if you have any interest in picking up where we left off, you can just let me know." She gave him a brilliant smile and left.

Gold looked around the great hall, full of a variety of people, all ages, all levels of society. _Who were all these people? What were they doing in his hall? He'd never let this many people mill around idlely. He didn't particularly like people. He didn't particularly like their company._

He stood and waved his hands. "Get out. Everyone get out, now."

One sallow faced young man had the poor judgment to grouse aloud at him, "But this is where we stay all the time. This is our place."

Several people drew back as Captain Dark sprang out of the throne and came down the steps. He was smaller than the misspoken young man who was apparently oblivious to the energy levels radiating off the new master of the pirates. The over-dressed, sullen young man held his ground. The Captain simply smiled at him. A few others in the group joined those who had already started to back off, somehow recognizing the threat that the new pirate leader posed.

"Your place?" he questioned. "_Your_ place." He smiled slowly, "You are welcome to stay here, sir. But not in this form." And with a wave of his hand, the young man shrunk into a snail. "Although now you are in this form, you may be happier in the garden." He looked up at the young man's group of companions. "Now you can transport this snail into the garden or I can dispose of it." He stepped back, allowing the friends to retrieve the snail and then quickly back away from the bad-tempered magician. The hall was swiftly emptied.

Gold sat sideways on the throne, throwing his legs over one arm and leaning his back upon the other arm. He meticulously began changing the hangings that graced the walls of the hall. Regina seemed to prefer red and black. He decided to have them blue, but not just any blue, he chose the cerulean blue of the eyes of a certain librarian. He added gold trim, like the just barely there gold highlights of her chestnut hair.

+ + + + +_Captain David Nolen_

Captain White had requested that Captain Nolen be secured in her private bed chamber. She never had a man chained up in her bed chamber. Truth be known, she had never had a man in her bed chamber. To be completely forthcoming, Captain White had never had a man.

She thought that the big blond captain with his pale blue eyes was the handsomest man she had ever seen. She had dreamed about him since their first conflict when she had stolen a couple of Sugar Diamonds and some jewelry belonging to his lady companion and he had chased after her. He had seemed so strong and confident then. _So attractive. _He did something to her insides, just thinking about him. Now having him in her bedroom, well, it was _so real. _

And now, she had seen his concern for his crew members, his bravery trying to defend them, his confidence when, even captured and chained, he continued to be self-assured and unafraid. Even now, with his legs chained to a chair, his arms chained to the arms of the chair and another chain running over his chest and keeping him pulled back against the back of the chair, even now, he didn't seem alarmed. He was looking at her, with a cool mix of interest and some disdain. She felt nervous, not exactly sure what to do.

Oh Ruby had talked with her, given her some ideas, some directions. But it all seemed so awkward.

"May I ask your intentions, milady?" he asked her.

_Oh she wished she could be like her step-mother. Regina would have smacked the captain across the mouth for speaking out of turn. But she didn't want to hit the man. No, that was not what she wanted to do with him._

"I wanted to get to know you better. We have crossed swords a number of times and you interest me, even intrigue me," she managed to confess. "I want to get to know you."

Nolen gave her a smirk worthy of Dr. Gold. "I'm an only child. What else do you want to know."

"Everything," Captain White responded.

"My parents were farmers. I grew up working hard and believing in the power of hard work. I went to school on both athletic and academic scholarships." He recited some few facts about himself. He added, "I have always operated within the confines of the law."

She had to laugh. She then responded, "Well, I grew up pampered and spoiled, an only child of a great king. My father remarried when I was young and I have every reason to believe that my step-mother killed him. I have had the best tutors for academics and for a number of other activities, including sword-fighting. And, thanks to my step-mother, I have not always had the luxury of being able to operate within the confines of the law."

She removed her thick furry vest, revealing a trim compact figure. She sat on the corner of the bed and pulled off her boots and then her stockings. She unfastened her blouse and slipped it off. She then removed her pants. She knew she had Captain Nolen's complete attention. She was wearing only a simple sleeveless chemise top which was just long enough to cover delicate panties. She walked over to Nolen and stood in front of him.

"Do you find me attractive, Captain Nolen?" she asked.

"I think you can probably tell that I find you very attractive," he answered, awkwardly shifting, as he could, in his seat." She was standing very close to him and he could smell her sweet rose scent. He closed his eyes and sensed when she first reached out to trace down his cheek. She came closer and ended up straddling him in the chair. She lifted his head to hers and began to kiss him on the mouth. He quickly began to kiss her back. This was an exciting woman, soft. He tried to put his arms around her but was stopped by the chains. He lifted his hips as he could pressing himself against her center but there was not enough movement allowed to him and it was more frustrating, not offering him enough stimulation (and certainly no relief). He could feel her slender, yet strong, arms around his shoulders, his neck, her hands and fingers in his hair. She continued to kiss him thoroughly.

"Milady, if you would but free one arm I could greatly assist with this activity. _He also remembered that he had a small gun secured in the back of his pants that he might be able to get to if she could be talked into letting one hand free. _

Captain White pulled back. She seemed confused and unsure of herself. Nolen hadn't expected this. A moment ago, she had seemed like a woman who was going after what she wanted. He had felt that, under the circumstances, going along with her was the path of least resistance and he was certainly amenable to satisfying her desires.

"Why did you stop?" he asked her.

"I. . . I. . .I'm not sure what to do next," she stammered.

"Well you can keep kissing me. You could," he leaned forward and whispered some more explicit directions to her, causing her to blush. He added, "You could release my hands and let me show you some appreciation. I'd be happy to help you out."

She was suddenly off his lap and wringing her hands. "I don't know. I don't know what to do." She went and sat in a chair across the room. Nolen realized quickly that for all her confidence, what she wanted from him was uncharted territory for her.

+ + + + + _Dr. Archie Hopper_

Ruby was not having similar problems in her situation. She had not requested the shackles be put on her prize, nor had she requested that he be chained. She had pushed him back onto the bed. She had removed her thigh high boots, her micro-skirt and had began to unfasten her halter top. She removed her underpants and had promptly sat on the doctor with one knee on each side of his body. She leaned down and began kissing him. Very thoroughly, very competently kissing him.

"You've done this before?" she asked him breathlessly, pulling off his pants and undergarments.

"Had a beautiful woman throw me on a bed, undress me and begin kissing me and . . . all the other things you're doing? Can't say that I have," the young doctor confessed.

"Well, enjoy yourself. I like doing this and I enjoy myself even more if the guy's having a good time."

Archie was puzzled. "How could I not have a good time, my dear? You're beautiful, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"Really? Most men would find Captain White prettier than I. And how about that blond and the little brunette you were traveling with. You don't think they are beautiful?"

Archie knew the best direction to take this conversation. "They are indeed beautiful, but they have never thrown me back on a bed, undressed me and jumped on me. That certainly makes you number one in my book," he reached up and pulled the tall brunette down to him and after a moment of kissing, he held onto her, sat up, still holding on to her and rolled her over, putting her on the bottom.

"Let me show you how beautiful I think you are," he whispered to her, pinning her down on the bed and shifting her legs so that they were pulled up and she was able to wrap them around him.

+ + + + + _Lieutenant-Commander_ _Emma Swan_

Emma was trying to control her mounting terror. She had talked matter-of-factly to Belle about what would happen. She _knew_ what was to happen. But now, while it was happening. . . no, it was not easy.

After being made to remove her boots and socks, she had been restrained in wrist cuffs, her hands then held up above her and secured to a hook in the ceiling of the Hatter's quarters. He had quickly found the gun she had safeguarded in her clothes and had laughed with pleasure at her resourcefulness.

"This wouldn't have done you any good, my dear. If you had tried to use it and had failed, I would get to take my revenge on your lovely body. If you had tried to use it and had been successful, then two of your companions would have been slain as punishment."

He walked over to her, "Captain Dark told me that you're one of his favorites. That I wasn't to kill you. . . or break your bones. And when I tire of you, I am to hand you off to him. Did you know that?"

Emma did not grace him with the courtesy of a reply. _In an odd, peculiar sort of way, Dr. Gold was protecting her. At least she was likely to survive._

The Hatter pulled a switchblade, a nasty looking knife. Emma reflexively closed her eyes. The Hatter then began to use it to cut off her uniform. First her jacket. Then her pants. Finally her shirt. She was left standing with her feet just touching the floor and clad only in her matching red lace bra and scanty red lace panties. He seemed surprised, but was most pleased to find the feminine undergarments.

"I had anticipated finding out that you were a high-waist solid white panty type with a steel reinforced brassiere. This is utterly delightful." His eyes had turned bright.

Emma felt degraded. She had a rough and tumble job and successfully competed against men to hold her own. She'd had to fight for a place in a male-dominated field and had done very well, gaining respect from many. But she was still a woman, and as a female, she dearly loved lacey, fine, frilly things, often envying Belle's sense of style when it came to ladies attire. Because she couldn't indulge in external displays of femininity, she often treated herself to the finest, loveliest, most delicate underwear she could find. And now she wished she hadn't.

"So you're a girl underneath everything," the Hatter remarked. "What a study in contradictions. You're quite capable of kicking my ass in a fair fight, but you're also one of the finest pieces I've seen in a while. I see why Captain Dark has a soft spot for you. You are exceptional."

He traced his fingers down her face, her neck, her shoulders, her arms. "You know most women are sobbing by now. I am so glad that I haven't already taken the fighting spirit out of you."

Emma made an exasperated face. "Just go ahead and get it over with, Hatter. I'm in no position to be able to stop you. Just do it and be done with it." If she had thought she could have gotten away with spitting on him, she would have done so.

The Hatter ran his hands along her limbs, relishing the smoothness of her toned skin and muscles. "Now why would I want to hurry with something as delicious as yourself? I want to make you scream with pleasure and beg me to continue. We're going to start slowly, very slowly." He smiled at her. "We have all night."

As hard as she tried to be brave and strong, as hard as she tried to put herself away from what was happening, Emma felt tears seeping from her eyes.

+ + + + + _Commander Graham Hunter_

Graham was in a daze, moving within a deep fog. The beautiful woman talked softly to him and everything seemed to go numb. She welcomed his embrace and ardently kissed him back. There seemed to be something wrong here, but he couldn't quite remember. He couldn't remember anything. Everything was grey and dull.

+ + + + + _Lieutenant Isobelle French_

Belle had found a quiet corner in the kitchen and had tried to settle herself in; but then, she had been summarily dragged out from the kitchen and shoved into a large private bedchamber. It was a luxurious, self-indulgent bedchamber with a large, plushly appointed bed, with curtains, and pillows and coverlets piled high upon it. There were mirrors on every wall. It was void of people except for a small figure sitting quietly in a darkened corner next to a large window . The room smelled familiar and then she realized it was Dr. Gold's peculiar, if not unpleasant, scent. She was in his bedroom. She wasn't sure what to do.

"Belle, is that you?" It was the small figure. She could see now it was Dr. Gold or Captain Dark or whatever the hell name he was going by this minute. "What are you doing in here?"

He had only just settled into the room, after ordering several of the servants to put him into the 'best bed chamber' in the fortress.

"I was sent," she answered. "Someone just came down to the kitchen and said that the Queen wanted me sent here."

"Really. Regina must have decided that I was to have you." _He wasn't happy. He would have rathered that Belle had stayed down in the kitchens, out of sight. Now he would have to deal with her or face some difficult questions from Regina. _

_This was not how he wanted things to proceed between himself and the little Information Officer. It put him in an untenable position. He briefly closed his eyes, considering his options. He knew what he needed to do, what he had to do._

_Gold rarely swore. He had not found it very effective or productive, but at this moment, he considered calling on the ancient god of chaos, on Loki. He didn't like what he had to do. He didn't like it at all. _

_And he knew that Belle could very well come out of it not liking him, not liking him at all. _

_He glanced around. He should have specifically requested a room without mirrors or had them all removed. Well, it was too late at the moment to do anything. . . just yet._

"All right then. Come here," he ordered her.

Belle approached him, unsure of what to do. She stood on a deep pile rug right before his chair.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked.

Gold rose from his chair and slowly walked around the young Lieutenant. "You understand dearie that I am no longer Dr. Gold and am not held by any prior agreements you may have had with him."

Belle was alarmed, "All right," her mouth was dry and she had difficulties getting the words out. "Should I be afraid of you?" she managed to ask.

"Probably," he responded. "My whim is law here. I am free to use my powers as I desire. I answer to no one, least of all to the preferences of a rather prissy little librarian."

Belle briefly closed her eyes. _Was she hearing what he really thought about her?_

He came around and stood in front of her. "You are quite beautiful." He gently touched her hair, which she had managed to pin back up on top of her head. He then stood back looking her over.

Slowly he reached out and unbuttoned her jacket, walking behind her again to slide it off her shoulders. Then came her shirt.

Belle closed her eyes. She had been in his apartment in this same state of undress. She could manage this. She was going to be all right.

Then he pulled her undershirt up and off of her, leaving her standing in her plain, service-issue bra and her uniform's skirt. He gently reached in and unfastened her skirt, letting it drop down her legs.

"Take off your socks and boots," he told her.

Belle had to sit on the rug to get off her boots, feeling clumsy and awkward. After the boots, came the socks. She was still on the floor. She glanced up at him. He held out his hand and she hesitantly gave him one of hers, allowing herself to be pulled back up to a standing position. Now she was left in only her plain white serviceable underpanties and her plain white serviceable bra.

Captain Dark smiled at her, "This is what you wear under your clothes? No lace, no silk, no little bows or ruffles?"

"They don't fit well under the uniform."

"I've told you I don't like you in your uniform. It doesn't suit you. That's not what you're going to be wearing from now on." He gently pulled her by the shoulders and he was kissing her.

Belle found it to be an uncomfortable situation. She, clad only in her undergarments and the alien scientist or pirate or whatever he was, still in all his clothing. She felt belittled, tarnished. He must have felt that she wasn't responding to him, because he stopped and looked down into her eyes.

She wasn't sure how she managed, but she looked up into his eyes which had gone to a very dark brown, almost black.

He let her go.

"I want you to kneel," he told her harshly.

"What?!" Belle wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly.

"Kneel, Lieutenant," he repeated.

She stood, probably with her mouth opened, and didn't move.

She felt the slap, more surprised than hurt by his action.

Belle then hesitantly sank to her knees. Despite her determination to remain in control of herself, Belle began to feel hot tears streaming down her face.

She glanced up at Captain Dark. His face was implacable.

"Pull down your hair and run your fingers through it," he directed her.

She did so with trembling fingers, pulling her hair down and pulling some of it toward her face to try to cover herself.

"You refused my attentions on a number of occasions. Rebuffed me, if I recall," he reminded her. "No doubt, thinking yourself too fine to lie down with a green skinned alien. No doubt regaling your friends, telling them of my interest and how you put me in my place."

Belle shook her head. _She had never done such things. Never even thought such things. _

He was standing back from her. "Finish stripping yourself for me," he ordered her.

She realized that her tears were now flowing freely. "Please," she heard herself begging.

Captain Dark didn't move. He didn't speak

Belle realized she had few real choices, only one choice if she didn't want to be hit or beaten. She slowly reached around herself to remove her bra. She unfastened it and slipped the straps off her shoulders, keeping her arms in close to her body. She held the bra up against herself, unable to bring herself to drop it away from her body.

_NEXT: Captain Dark takes measures_

_ The morning after_

_ The new lab _

A.N. Yes, I know I'm ending this chapter at another critical point. If it helps, the next chapter is also running close to 5,000 words. I'm still trying to keep things T rated – it's been interesting writing T-rated smut; I'm leaving off mentioning (most) specific body parts and specific actions – just concentrating on feelings. Hope it's working for people.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all those who reviewed the last chapter, including Artemis Samhain, BrittanyLS, Grace5231973, Jaybird6, Loop, MyraValhallah, Claire (who is making some really good guesses as to how this story is progressing – you go girl), the doctorsgirl42, PrincessTiannah, landscapegirl , and all the anon reviewers. txm


	7. Mirrors

A.N. Thanks to all my awesome reviewers (BrittanyLS , Notsureyet18, Coil way, landscapegirl, Claire, PrincessTiannah, thedoctorsgirl42, liop, Jaybird6). I took into account some of your astute observations and expanded on several sections in this chapter, so it's quite on the long side.

+ + + + + _Mirrors_

Gold, or maybe she should think of him as Captain Dark, had just ordered her to strip for him. Belle had slowly reached around herself to remove her bra. She still held it up against herself, unable to bring herself to drop it away from her body.

She looked up at the Dark Captain. He moved a finger, gesturing for her to drop the bra over to the side, but before she could comply, he abruptly turned and addressed one of the large mirrors that hung along one wall, "I don't like an audience." And with a flip of fingers, he began to explode every mirror in the room, first the big one along the wall, then each and every one that hung on different walls or the backs of doors. The blasts were violent.

Belle could feel herself trembling. The violence of the explosions frightened her. She had a passing fear that she would be struck by the flying shards of glass. She was nearly sobbing. This wasn't the amicable, charming, seductive Dr. Gold she had thought she was beginning to care for, to admire, to entertain the notion of a relationship with. This was a violent, unpredictable, cruel creature. She managed to look up at him.

He stood a moment surveying the damage to the room. He then dropped down to her, allowing her to continue to shield herself with her hair, her hands and the limited material available in her bra.

He whispered to her, "Belle, she uses the mirrors and can see and hear us through any mirror. If she thinks you are special to me, she will use you to control me. She can never think that you are special. She would hurt you. Do you understand?"

Belle shook her head, confused. _What was he talking about? Who was _she?

He traced his hand down her face and around both of her wrists, speaking with some urgency. "The Queen, Belle. You are a smart woman, figure it out. I need her to believe that I do not care for you. That I am willing to hurt you, beat you, violate you for any infraction or even just as a notion. You must act as if you are terrified of me. Tomorrow, you cannot look me in the eye, you will tremble when I come near you. You will keep your head down. You will do exactly as I tell you, no matter how humiliating it might be. You will be afraid of me. Can you do that? Can you?"

"I am afraid of you," she admitted.

He cringed. _This was not what he had wanted. Yes, he had wanted Belle, but he'd wanted her to come to him, eagerly, willingly. This way was too much like rape, like desecration and defilement. Not what he had wanted at all. _

He gestured to her wrists, calling her attention to the bruising that was appearing on her wrists where he had touched her, he explained, "She will think I did this when I had you."

Belle had begun to understand. He was doing this for show. The Queen could see them through the mirrors. He wanted the Queen to think that she meant nothing to him. She suddenly realized, he cared about her! And that seemed the most important thing. He cared about her! Not just as a potential conquest, not just as a light amusement, but really cared. But he couldn't let anyone know or they would hurt her to hurt him.

She nodded, "I think I understand. You want me to be unimportant to you," she was able to reason this much out before he started kissing her. "Do you need to have sex with me to make it look real?"

He groaned and held her even tighter. "I don't want our first time together to be like this. I want there to be many times for us and I don't want our first time to be ugly or forced or hurried." He was kissing her again, his hands sometimes magically leaving bruising to make her look the target of forced and brutal attentions.

"Belle, I'm so sorry, but I will need you to remove your underpants. This has to look absolutely real. Let me get you a robe," he stood and then rummaged around in the room. Behind a closet door, he found what he was looking for, a brightly patterned silk robe. "Wrap yourself in it," he directed. He delicately turned his back to her to allow her the opportunity to discard the bra and put on the robe.

Belle gratefully took the silken, filmy robe and slipped it on herself. It did give her some coverage, although it clung to every curve, every valley, every dimple. She pulled off her underpants and allowed him to take her into the bed. She let him cuddle and cradle her. She soon fell asleep from exhaustion. Once Belle had dozed off, and after some hesitancy, Gold removed his own clothes. He felt somewhat uncomfortable doing this, as if he was crossing a line he wasn't quite ready to cross. But it was for the show.

Gold listened, he listened all night. He reached out with all his senses. No one was there. No one listening in. No one peeking in. Only when he heard _her_ stir, starting on her way up to his bed chamber, only then did he slip off Belle's robe, knowing that the scene had to be complete to be believable. He rose from the bed and carefully hung the robe back behind the door where he had first retrieved it. When he returned to the bed, Belle stirred and continued to snuggle against him, seeking the heat of his body.

She slowly opened her eyes, taking in where she was, her state of undress, his state of undress. Gold was sitting up in the bed and she was disturbed by the sight of his bared chest, the expanse of green-gold. _She was aware that he was unclothed under the bed covers, as she was, as she had been, at least part of the night. She was aware that she had snuggled with him during the night, drawn to the warmth of his body with, at most, a thin silken robe between them. And, early this morning, there had been no barriers. _

"We are about to have a visitor," Gold told her. "Remember you regard me with fear and loathing."

She smiled at him, "Do I?" She gently placed a kiss on his chest.

He caught her head and lifted her away from him. "Please Belle, I'm going to send her away on the premise that I am going to _entertain_ myself with you again. You need to resist me, try to fight me. Can you do that?"

Belle sighed. "I can," she said reluctantly. She was enjoying their intimate position, feeling his warmth, smelling his unique spicy scent, relishing his comforting arms around her, his eyes on her.

+ + + + + _A Promise_

Regina knocked on the door his bedchamber. She had been thwarted by her mirrors being destroyed but had seen enough, seeing the Captain Dark humiliate and demean the little officer prior to his exploding her vision. As she peeked into the bedchamber, she saw them together, the woman badly bruised, the man holding her, preventing her from fighting back. They both appeared to be unclothed. For the time being, at least, she was satisfied. She cleared her throat, knowing that the Dark One did not sleep.

"I'm not interested in a threesome," he called from the bed. "Go away. I'm busy."

"Well that's disappointing," she started. "But darling, I was here for. . ."

"Not now," he sat up and faced down Regina. "I'm not finished."

Quite on cue, Belle began to beg him, "No, please no. Let me go. Please."

Regina curtsied and closed the door, leaving the couple alone.

Gold whispered to Belle, "Start screaming, like I'm forcing you," he directed her.

Belle complied and was gratified when he cut her off by taking possession of her mouth.

When he released her she asked him, "Are you sure you don't want to actually have me?"

He groaned like a man in great pain. "I've told you, this place should not be our first place or time. I want things to be exactly right between us."

He kissed her again. "Understand, though, I do want to truly have you."

Belle actually pouted. "I think it would be fine to go ahead. We both want to. I don't understand why we're waiting."

Gold shook his head. "I don't want your memories, my memories, of our first time together to be tainted by this terrible place. And," he held up a finger while talking to her (as if he were a parent talking with a willful child), "In case you haven't realized it yet, what I say goes."

Belle didn't say anything. She did pull his finger down and in one smooth motion, inserted it into her own mouth, gently sucking on it and swirling her tongue around it. Her eyes met his eyes and did not waver. His eyes went rapidly from brown to nearly black.

Gold was finding her action incredibly erotic. With some effort, he pulled away from her, "Witch. The time will come, I promise you, that you will pay for that."

+ + + + + _Advice_

Regina eventually returned, finding the couple still abed, with the Captain sitting up and the young officer balled up in a far corner of the bed. "I was thinking about taking the librarian off your hands and washing her up for you. Perhaps finding her something more appropriate for your paramour to wear, if you'd like."

"I like what she's wearing now, but that would be fine," Gold was amenable. "And now that's she broken in, I will want her back by my side as soon as possible, at least for a while." He smiled at Regina, "She cries out when I take her," he ran his hands over her body. "I like that."

Belle shuddered, turned and uncurled from her fetal position. She had wrapped herself as she could in a corner of the bed sheet. She did an excellent job of looking at Captain Dark with fear and loathing, of pulling back from him.

"See if you can find her a robe or something to put on." He directed Regina. "If you're taking her from this room, I prefer that others not be able to share in what I have seen." Regina found the silk robe behind the closet door and handed it to Belle. Belle clutched the silken robe to herself, quickly and successfully covering herself. She actually backed away from Gold, as if the Queen was offering her some protection.

Regina took her off, soothing her, but, in no uncertain terms, letting her know that she belonged to Captain Dark, there was no one stronger in the castle than he and, as long as he wanted her, she belonged to him. She seemed to want Belle to feel alone and hopeless.

"He hurt me," Belle complained, a sob welling up. "I had thought that he liked me when I was helping him on board ship, but here," she allowed tears to slip down her face, "here he was like some horrible animal. He hit me," she pointed to her cheek. "And made me, he made me. . ." she couldn't bring herself to finish.

"I know dear. You'll want to get a bath." Well, this sounded comforting.

Regina conducted her to her own chamber and instructed her own retinue to help Belle clean herself up. Regina herself selected a simple dress, albeit a short one, for Belle, relying on her own history with Captain Dark and his tastes in appropriate female apparel for his little transitory whores.

Belle continued to sniff and occasionally cry as she washed and then re-dressed herself. Belle noted, "There are no undergarments."

"He won't permit you those, my dear," Regina told her brusquely. " If it helps, others have been in your position and survived," Regina was surprisingly friendly toward the young officer. "I would advise you to think about what you want out of this relationship."

"I don't want anything out of it. I want 'out' of it," Belle responded.

Regina nodded. "If that's what you want, then I suggest you be totally compliant. Although he will tell you that is the type of woman he prefers, he's quick to lose interest in girls that are."

Regina looked at her, "But, if you want to acquire some power for yourself, by being his mistress, then continue to resist him. He will keep you at his side longer. You decide what it is you want. To be rid of him or to have a position of some possible power. He is after all, essentially a man and he's susceptible to male vanity and male pride. A clever woman can garner a great deal of power if she understands what he really wants."

_Was Regina advising her?_

Belle nodded and managed a shy smile. "Thank you, madame. I shall remember what you have told me."

"You had thought he liked you when you were on board ship with him?" Regina pressed her with a question.

"I think now that I was just someone he thought he could get into his bed. He didn't treat me like someone he had any feelings for," Belle managed another couple of tears. "I am so afraid of him, madame. He seems to have powers I've never imagined. He is so cruel and so mean. I don't know how I will be able to face him again." She turned to Regina. "You seem to know him. What should I do? What should I do?" _Nothing like appealing to the bitch's vanity._

"Oh, my poor child," Regina seemed genuinely concerned and caring. "Just do exactly as he asks as quickly as you can. He will tire of you soon enough." She patted Belle on the cheek, gently because of the bruising. "I shall do my best to keep him distracted." She suddenly smiled at Belle. "But my dear, know this, he really is an excellent lover. You really may want to consider enjoying yourself."

Belle must have looked appalled, as Regina just shrugged and left her to finish dressing. _Bitch, Belle thought, uncharitably. She just wanted me to know that she's slept with him herself. _

+ + + + + _Emma survives_

Emma was chained by a wrist to the Hatter's bed. He had brought her some breakfast and allowed her the use of the toilet, continuing to treat her as a prisoner. He hadn't beaten her but had certainly used restraints and had just as certainly not asked or obtained her permission for all that he had done to her. As he had promised he had taken his time and in the end, he had not hurt her.

In the end, she had responded.

He had known this and Emma was probably more humiliated by her body's betrayal than anything he had done to her. He had actually held her, soothing her, afterwards, and she had sobbed into his shoulder losing all semblance of self-control.

He had talked some with her, apparently surprising himself by sharing his feelings.

"I've never known anyone quite like you, Emma. I find I don't want you to cry. You are too strong and fine. And I feel badly for making you cry."

Emma had not responded. _Was she supposed to feel sorry for him?_

He had kissed her very gently. And abruptly left her alone.

Emma had struggled with the wrist restraint but there was no way she would be able to get her hand out of it. And no way she would be able to pull the chain from the headboard of the bed.

She wished she could have gotten a shower or something. She wanted to wash away his smell. She wanted to wash away her memories. He had left her without clothing, but she was able to wrap a sheet around herself.

+ + + + + _Archie Makes a Bargain_

Archie was running his hands along the body of Ruby Red, who was sprawled out on her stomach, lying next to him. This was, by far, the most beautiful woman he had ever been knew, he knew she had used him and he should be feeling like a boy-toy, a gigolo. He knew that if their genders had been reversed, he would be feeling assaulted and molested. But the genders were not reversed and there was a part of him that was actually thrilled that this beautiful woman had selected him, had desired him, out of all the men on board the_ Grimm_. She had selected him. She had been attracted by his devotion to his job, his willingness to offer healing services to all who needed them. And she had seemed pleased by his performance last night, _which he had to acknowledge, had probably been the best of his life. _

But Archie was not comfortable continuing this way. He didn't want to be used. He didn't want to become a user. This was not who he was. He wanted to be helping sick and injured people, and he would not be comfortable just sitting and waiting on Ruby's libido to kick in.

He noticed that she was awake and looking at him. "Good morning, lover," she greeted him and tried to move in for a kiss.

He pulled back from her. "Miss Ruby, please. We need to talk."

She leaned back and closed her eyes. "Talking is not one of the things I do well," she told him.

Archie struggled with how to begin. "Please understand. I appreciate last night. More than you can probably know." _Although he had been with a few women, Archie was self-aware enough to realize that he was not the type of man to attract women because of his looks, like Nolen or Graham, or because of his sheer intelligence and his swagger, like Gold. He was a gentle man and not all women liked or cared for that. _"I am flattered by your attentions, really I am. But I don't just want to be an amusement for you."

Ruby opened her eyes and sat up. "What do you want?"

"I am a healer. I want to see if I can help the people here. I saw people just on the way to this room that I could help. It's what I do. If you have any feelings for me at all, you will let me try to help them." He took a deep breath. "If you are going to require me to share your bed as the price of me doing this, so be it."

"Are you telling me that if I don't let you be a doctor, then you won't share my bed willingly?" she asked.

"Pretty much," he admitted. "'Please don't stop me from being who I am."

"And if I let you be a doctor, you will be willing?"

"I think so," he responded.

Ruby stretched out, narrowing her eyes at him. "Do you think that you could resist me? Are you capable of resisting me?" Ruby was well aware of her beauty and how attractive most men found her.

He pulled a face at her. "Realistically, probably not. You are, after all, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he had to smile at her. He leaned forward and traced a finger down her long form. "But I will be much happier and much more cooperative if you let me practice my profession."

"Can I trust you?"

"I took an oath to heal. And I won't try to get away because my companions would suffer. Yes, you can trust me."

Ruby considered. After a moment, she said, "Sure, why not? As long as you're around when I need you. Sounds like a good deal all around."

Then she smiled wickedly at him. "Shall we have one morning go at it to seal our deal?"

"Miss Ruby," he confessed. "I will need some help here. I'm not as young as I was."

"You got it."

+ + + + + _Snow gets some advice_

Captain White met with her best friend later than morning. Ruby Red wanted to know how things had gone for her.

"Come on, Snow, give. What happened?"

Snow stuck out her lip, pouting. "It was horrible. It was an embarrassing nightmare. I tried to do some of the things you had suggested. I undressed, mostly, in front of him. I sat on his lap."

"And? And?"

"Well, it was hard," Snow said.

Ruby looked at her friend with some mischievousness, "Snow, it's supposed to be hard."

Snow blushed, "I mean it was difficult." She stuttered, "It. . . it. . . it was hard, too. I just didn't know what to do then. He kept asking me to unchain one hand so he could help. I think he realized that I had never . . ."

"It's probably better he has clue about that before, rather than during or after, Snow. He strikes me as being one of those noble types who's going to be all honored that you're bestowing yourself on him. He's not going to hurt you. I can tell."

"You don't think so? Sometimes he looks at me and I think he's really angry. But sometimes, he seems like he might actually find me attractive."

"Oh, he finds you plenty attractive, girl. Take my word on that."

Snow wasn't comfortable continuing with her own relationship woes. "How did it go for you?"

"Amazing. I never would have predicted that my little cricket would have turned into such a dynamic, assertive lover. He reversed positions on me, which I usually don't go for, but it went very well."

Snow was puzzled, "Reversed positions? There's more than one?"

Ruby had to smile at her best friend. "Oh, darling, you have such a wonderful time ahead of you. Why don't you try again tonight, but go along with some of his suggestions. Let him take the lead. I don't think he's going to hurt you or try to use you as a hostage to get himself out of here. He knows what would likely happen to his crew."

"You think so?" Snow so wanted to see how far she could go with the handsome ship's captain.

"I know so," Ruby assured her.

+ + + + + _The Lab_

Captain Dark was not one to spend time in the Great Hall sitting on his throne (as Queen Regina had done). He was in his new lab. There were mirrors on most walls.

Belle had been sent to him. He had glanced at her, noting the very short and very low cut pale blue garment that Regina had dressed Belle in. The color suited her. Regina had not bothered to find shoes for her. Belle kept herself hunched over, her head down and her eyes on the floor, trying to make herself small and invisible. He set her to work, setting up the white board, finding stools for himself and her. He began to set his other equipment up. And then, he called in the Hatter for the raw diamonds.

While they were waiting, he pulled Belle against him and ran his fingers up her arms. She shuddered but did not pull away. She allowed him to nuzzle her neck and bring her hair up to his face to feel it and then to his nose to smell it. She closed her eyes and did her best to look miserable and docile. _Although his touch was gentle and warm and made her shiver with pleasure, not with pain. _

"Sir, I'm not sure what you mean," the Hatter had told him. He was wearing his flamboyant long jacket and his tall hat.

Gold looked at him, "Don't you mean you need a moment to go get them for me? I saw you pick them up from the ship's lab. You have them, sir."

The Hatter bowed and gave Gold a hollow smile, recognizing when he was out of his element. "Of course, sir. Thank you for reminding me." He reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out the diamonds.

Gold continued to hold out his hand, "All of them, Hatter."

The Hatter bowed again and produced another handful, dropping them into Gold's hand.

The hand remained extended. "All of them," the order was repeated.

This time the Hatter didn't bow. He nodded and reached into another pocket and produced three of the larger, finer crystals, handing them over with some obvious reluctance to the other more powerful wizard.

Gold gave the diamonds to Belle who put them into a container on the counter where the other equipment had been set. Belle came back over to Gold and allowed him to wrap an arm around her.

"You didn't hurt Lieutenant Commander Swan, did you Hatter? She is a woman of some substance and character and it would be a shame if you damaged her."

"We had fun together, Captain. She. . . enjoyed herself."

"And where is she now?"

The Hatter paused a moment before responding. He didn't like where this was going. "She is. . . resting. Waiting for me."

"Get her dressed, Hatter. I want to see her, here, in the lab."

"But Captain," the Hatter almost began to argue with him, but changed his mind. "As you request, sir." He bowed and left.

"Smart boy," Gold said to himself. Before Belle could say anything, Gold whispered to her, "My dear, you are quite accommodating today," he turned her to face him and nodded towards a large mirror in the room. Belle realized he was alerting her to the idea that they were almost certainly being observed.

She bowed her head and whispered, "My lord, I only wish to comply with your desires."

She felt him kiss her forehead and sigh. "Lovely," he said, almost as if bored with her already. "Can you line up the lancet-lazer?" he asked referring to the specialized equipment used to bombard the diamonds.

"Yes, my lord," she responded softly and pulled away from him to begin the task.

It was everything in Belle to restrain herself when the Hatter returned with Emma. Emma's face was tear-stained and she was still sporting the bruises she had sustained on board ship. Belle thought she saw some new bruises around Emma's wrists. The Hatter had dressed Emma in a short, silken dress, as wildly colored as anything he himself wore. Emma was clearly doing her best to avoid being near the man. She also kept her head and eyes down and didn't react when she glanced at Belle, _but how could she not have noticed Belle's bruising and much changed attire. _Belle so wanted to tell her that Dr. Gold was still on their side but knew she wouldn't likely have the opportunity unless. . .

"Belle, get Lieutenant Commander Swan, Emma here, to assist you. She understands how this equipment is supposed to work," Gold ordered her.

"But Captain White gave her to me," the Hatter protested.

Gold glanced at him, "And I'm taking her away from you, Hatter." He held up his hand to prevent further protests. "I need her assistance this afternoon in setting up my lab. I shall return her to you by this evening. Now run along and find something else to amuse yourself. Unless you want to make yourself useful here?" he directed the young man. The Hatter opted to leave the lab rather than get set to a job.

Belle motioned for Emma to help her lift equipment from the floor. She spoke in very quiet, very soft tones, trying not to move her mouth. "The Queen can see and hear us through any mirror. Dr. Gold is still working with us."

Emma's gaze went to Belle's bruisings and Belle shook her head. "He didn't actually hurt me. These are for show," she explained.

Emma was quick. She nodded and actually managed a wink at Belle. As the two women came up over the countertop and in view of the mirror, Emma said through her teeth, as if she didn't want Gold to overhear.

"Belle, why are you helping him, getting me to help him after what he's done to you?"

Belle realized what she was doing, "Because it's easier this way. If I try to fight him, he'll just hurt me more. The Queen has been wonderful to me and, I think, she will help us if she can," she said, still whispering. "Emma, Emma, how are you doing? Did the Hatter hurt you badly?" Now these were honest questions. Emma was strong but not invulnerable.

Emma closed her eyes. "He is very talented, Belle. And rather creative, but he didn't beat me or anything."

Belle touched the wrist bruises and Emma shrugged, "I got these last night. I guess I shouldn't have resisted as much as I did. It might have gone easier."

Belle nearly hissed at her, "Don't you dare blame yourself, Emma. You didn't do anything."

"What are you two talking about?" Gold asked them suddenly, intruding into their task. "I want you to work, not chit chat. I want this set up and ready to go as quickly as possible."

Both women dropped their eyes and murmured, "Yes sir," and promptly got back to their work.

+ + + + + _Advice from an Older Man_

Captain Dark, aka Dr. Gold, genuinely wanted to have the lab up and working as soon as possible. Everything in the next step of his plan hinged on this.

When the Hatter came by later in the day to retrieve Emma, Gold stopped him a moment.

"Here," he said, "Allow me," and he passed his hand which slightly glowed purple, over Emma's face and her wrists, clearing the bruising. "Don't let me see her like this again, Hatter. She has some skills that I may be able to use. Do you understand?"

"I do, sir," came the somewhat sullen reply. "Why do you let your own slave remain disfigured?" he asked, nodding at Belle.

"Because she has yet to appreciate that I can give her pain or pleasure. The Lieutenant Commander already knows this lesson. Wouldn't you agree?"

The Hatter smiled at him. "She does, sir, she does."

"Take some advice from an older, more experienced man, Hatter. The Lieutenant Commander has much to offer and doesn't require as much. . . persuasion as a less experienced woman. Give her a longer leash and you will not be disappointed."

"You think so?" the younger man asked him. There was a look in the Hatter's eye that had not been there before.

"I know so," came the reply.

+ + + + + _Snow Falls_

Nolen had spent a very uncomfortable day after having spent a very uncomfortable night. He had been chained in the chair the entire time, while the little captain had sat across the room from him for a long time, before just taking herself to her bed. He had not only worked up some body pains from being restrained, but he was most concerned about his crew, particularly Emma, Belle and Graham. These three, he felt, had been placed with the most dangerous partners. He didn't think that Hopper was in any danger from the lady pirate, Red. And Leroy the miner was being kept in reasonable comfort so the pirates could get their ransom for him. He also didn't think that Captain White meant him serious harm. He felt that the woman seemed to like him but wasn't exactly sure what she wanted from him. He had initially thought that seduction was on her mind, but she seemed rather insecure and uncertain, as if. . . as if. . . . The thought, as improbable as it was, burst in on him. It was unlikely, she seemed so confident, so capable, but was his little captain inexperienced? Was she a virgin? That would explain her hesitancy and difficulties she'd encountered when she attempted seduction.

How did something like this happen? The woman was gorgeous.

He was pondering the implications when the woman herself, Captain White, came back into the room. He wanted to first encourage her to loosen his chains; he had only been gotten up three times during the day to shuffle to a facility to take care of fundamental hygiene demands. An unsympathetic guard had fed him two meals and provided him with a bottle of water with a straw for him to suck on throughout the day.

"Milady, is there any promise I could make that you would accept that would allow you to loosen these chains?" he asked.

Captain White looked at him. He did look miserable, but still more handsome than he had a right to be. He now had a day's worth of beard growing out making him look darker and more rugged. It was a good look for him.

She considered. "Would you promise on the lives of your crew that you won't hurt me or try to escape?"

"Absolutely," he responded without hesitation.

Captain White pulled a key out of her pocket and began to unlock the shackles. First the body chain, then his arms and finally his legs. She suddenly became aware that she was kneeling in front of him while she unfastened his ankles and found herself feeling warm. It was an intimate position. She looked up at him and when their eyes met, he reached down for her, pulling her up by the elbows.

_Next: Snow melts down_

_ The Hatter shares _

_ What happens in the lab_


	8. Surrendering

**A.N. This is another chapter that will push that T limit (maybe should grade it a T+ - especially the Under the Table chapter); I rewrote it about half a dozen times and kept ramping it down, but it's still pretty racey. Hope it's not too over the top. txm**

+ + + + + _Surrendering_

Snow had decided to trust Nolen. She wanted to trust Nolen. She wanted to do a lot with the good Captain Nolen. She had admitted to herself that she was drawn to him, but she wasn't quite ready to admit it to him. Finding herself kneeling at his feet to remove his shackles, Snow found herself blushing. She had put herself in a subservient position and knew quite well that he was as aware of it as she was. Before she could shift away and stand, Nolen smoothly took her arms and raised her up so that she was sitting on his lap, in a most comfortable position _and not as slutty as the previous straddling position she had taken her first night with him._ He was kissing her, that lovely gentle kiss he had given her the previous evening. But this time, his arms were around her, holding her, pulling her even closer. It was very, very nice. It was everything she had hoped it would be. It was want she wanted.

She vaguely realized that one of his hands had shifted to her waist and had begun to caress her. That same hand was slowly moving up her back and shifting around to the front of her body and was delicately, kindly, touching her. Captain White realized she was holding her breath.

Captain Nolen pulled back, wanting to go slowly, very slowly. "Do you have a first name?" he asked her.

"You'll laugh."

"What? Why? Is it a boy's name or something like that?"

"It's Snow," she answered him. "I was born during a snowstorm. And it was the most beautiful thing my mother had ever seen. So she named me after it."

"It is beautiful," he told her, and added, "You're beautiful.

"Oh, how charming you are," she was nearly laughing. "Your name is David, isn't it?"

"David," he confirmed. He kissed her again, this time relishing the firm, cool feel of her body. His hand strayed up to the collar of her shirt and slowly he began to unfasten buttons. "Snow," he began, "please, you are so responsive, but I need to know something."

"Uh hum," she was enjoying his touching and his kissing. She felt warm and comfortable and very relaxed.

"Snow, have you ever done anything like this before?" he asked her softly.

Snow buried her head in his shoulder. She didn't answer.

"Snow, have you ever done anything like this before?" he asked her again.

He caught her shy movement. She was shaking her head, "no."

He tilted her chin up. "Snow, are you sure that you want to go ahead with this?"

He caught another shy movement. This time she was shaking her head in agreement.

He kissed her directly on the mouth, harder than he had kissed her before. He held her head in place. When he ended the kiss, she had her eyes closed and her head was leaned back onto his supporting arm. She was absolutely yielding to his strength, to his maleness, to him. He realized that he had wanted this woman ever since he had first seen her, years ago. He was now sure that she wanted him also. This felt right. They felt very right together.

"Snow, I'm going to put you on the bed. We're going to go very slowly, all right? I want you to tell me if you change your mind, if I hurt you, if anything doesn't feel quite right."

Snow gave herself up to his caress, to his touch, to his strong arms and his body which lay across hers, stilling her nervous movements. He began removing her clothes, sometimes stopping to pull off one or another part of his own uniform. He pressed Snow into her bed and gently, methodically, he began to touch her in ways she had never been touched before. She was delighted and was enjoying herself very much. Captain Nolen, uh, David, was providing her with experiences she had never imagined. She felt exhilarated and worshiped and so flattered. He often touched her, first with his fingers, then often would follow-up with his tongue and lips. Snow felt her body beginning to tense up, as if tension was building. But then, he would sometimes stop and talk softly to her, soothing her, telling her how beautiful she was, allowing some of the tension to ease. He would then start the process of teasing and stimulating her again. She began to move against him.

"Captain Nolen, David, please. I think I'm really ready, really ready for you to. . . go ahead, please."

David smiled at her. She was so sweet. She really thought she was ready, that this was the best it could be. He knew better. His shook his head and smiled at her and told her not quite yet and continued with his touching and teasing. The tension was becoming unbearable.

"Davidpleaseplease." She was holding him tightly, her fingernails beginning to dig into his arms, his shoulders.

And then he was kissing her and touching her and she felt herself becoming undone and coming apart and then it was too soon and then it was too late and he was holding her and taking her and sweeping her away and she fell apart for him again.

David thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and was too wonderful and too perfect and he felt himself surrendering to her strength, to her femininity, to her, and he was swept away with her too soon, too soon.

+ + + + + _Progress_

The Hatter watched the extraordinary woman he had acquired. She did not act afraid of him although she was quite wary around him. He realized that she wasn't afraid of pain or humiliation. She was confident, self-sufficient, careful. All this in an exquisite package, strong and beautiful. He was considering all that Captain Dark had told him. _A woman of substance. Of character._

He had not re-chained her again.

Emma was aware of his scrutiny. She noted that he didn't seem particularly amorous at the moment. He was sitting and looking at her, just looking.

"Can I do anything for you?" she asked.

"Captain Dark said that you were a remarkable woman and that I should put you on a longer leash."

Emma had heard Gold tell him this. She wasn't sure if the Hatter was going to interpret this literally. She finally responded, "I do have many talents."

"You almost took me down. . . when we were aboard your ship." The Hatter paused. "I've never had anyone almost take me down, and no woman has ever even come close. If I hadn't been carrying the tranquilizer, you might have taken me. How is it that you can do this?"

"Brazillian ju jitsu, krav maga, and a couple of other street styles," she answered. "I needed the skills to survive and then for my job."

He digested what she had just told him, "You needed it to survive?"

"I was orphaned and never fit in well with my foster homes. I had some hard times. The Service gave me a home."

"I was orphaned myself," he confessed. "I tended to. . . alienate authority figures growing up." He smiled at her and was gratified to see her smile back at him.

"Then we have some things in common," she observed.

He agreed. "I had to work hard to survive on the streets. There were adults who did. . . objectionable things to me when I was a child. Becoming a pirate was just something that happened. I 'fit' in with these people. In their way, they protected me. They valued me for that I could do for them. I rose quickly in the ranks."

"How did you meet up with Captain White?" Emma wanted him to keep talking, wanting him to think of her as something more than just a plaything.

"I met her while we were still children. I was looking for food and had climbed into her room. Her father had married Regina and had just died, under mysterious circumstances. There were suspicions, but no one could prove anything. I became. . . her friend. The Queen kept her with the best tutors and the best trainers, wanting everyone to praise her for how well she was treating her step-daughter. Being Snow's, uh, Captain White's friend, I also got tutoring and training. She worked on the Queen's vessel for a while and, I think, through her own merit, she eventually gained her own ship. I was one of the first she selected for her crew. Along with Ruby Red, of course."

"Do you love her?" Emma had to ask.

"As a sister. We grew up together." The Hatter looked at her. "Is there anyone you've have feelings for?"

Privately, Emma thought this was progress. He seemed intent on learning about her as a person. The more he could think of her that way, the less likely he would be to hurt her. "Very few men have caught my attention and none of them have kept it. I do like men, understand," Emma clarified. "But I've not met Mr. Right. More often it's been Mr. Right Now."

The Hatter had to laugh at her response. "What else can you do. . . besides fight, I mean?"

"I can do carpentry and I do a fair job repairing serious engines. I'm a great pilot and good with all kinds of weapons." _And I've been a pickpocket and stolen vehicles._ She added, "I'm so-so at playing poker and shooting pool."

"I don't believe that," the Hatter quickly said. "I've been around excellent poker and pool players and all of them say they are 'so-so'."

It was Emma's turn to laugh. "All right. You got me. If I say I'm excellent," she gave him a sidelong look, "then I can't get anybody to play me for money." She hesitated, then confessed, "I paid my way through school with poker and pool."

"Now, that's believable."

"What's your real name?" Emma asked him suddenly. "I've only heard them call you 'Hatter' and I know that's not your name."

The Hatter sat quietly. "I haven't thought of my real name in a long time. I only can remember one of my names, the other one is long gone." He took a deep breath. "It's Jefferson."

"Jefferson? Do you mind if I call you that?"

He sat a moment, seeming to stare at her in astonishment. He finally replied, "Jefferson would be fine." He then added. "And I shall continue to call you Emma."

"Emma is fine."

"Emma, how far can I trust you?" he asked her.

"Well, I'm not stupid, Jefferson. It's as you told me. If I were to knock you out or kill you, and get out of this room, well, I have no idea the direction I would need to go to find a ship to get off this rock. Even if I were lucky and found a ship before you came to, or your body was discovered, even if I got the ship up and going and left this place, I know, sooner or later, what I had done would be uncovered and my fellow crew members would suffer for my escape. I don't want that to happen. I will do everything I can to stop you from hurting me, but I will also try to keep my fellow crew members safe."

Jefferson was up and touching her face. "I know that Captain Dark healed you. And I don't think he would like it if I hurt you again. He likes you, did you know that?"

"He has some little respect for me."

"No, I think if it wasn't for the little librarian, he might have had you in his bed."

Emma was surprised. "He came onto me once, but I still think that was because I was there and convenient. But I don't know that he has any real feelings for me."

Jefferson shook his head. "No, he likes you," he said with finality. "I am beginning to see some of what he sees in you. Strong, independent, confident. I didn't think I would like such a woman. But every other woman now is beginning to pale in comparison. They look weak and clingy and indecisive. I am beginning to really like you."

He let her go and turned his back to her. "Would it be possible for us to start over, Emma?" He talked to the wall, as if he could not bear to face her and address her. "I could court you."

Emma was stunned. She had not expected this. "Court me?" She laughed. "I've never had anyone court me before." She thought a moment. "Does that mean that you won't touch me again unless I tell you it's all right?"

He slowly nodded. _This would be a big step for him. _

She considered, _Well, aside from you being a little kinky and a rapist_ "I don't know that I would reject you out of hand, Jefferson. You are a handsome enough fellow. I guess I'd like to see how nice you can be."

He laughed again. "Then first, allow me to get you a change of clothing. Something more appropriate for _a lady_ to wear. Then, if you will allow it, I'd like to take you out for a meal in the town. There are a few nice places."

_Progress, Emma thought. She'd gotten herself out of his bed, at least for awhile._

+ + + + + _Under the Table_

Later that same evening, Belle, who had continued to work in the lab with Dr. Gold, had begun to feel the impact of the long, stressful days. She was struggling to keep up with Dr. Gold, no, he was Captain Dark now. After midnight, her head had just slowly dropped to the work table and her body had gone limp.

Gold had felt sorry for the poor thing. She had been terrorized and somewhat brutalized, but she was still managing to keep it together. She had cleverly alerted Emma that he was still on their side and, at the same time, had been able to say perfectly lovely things about Regina (who had been listening in, he was sure, and was likely preening herself, thinking she had gained Belle's trust and admiration). Crafty Belle. He had not thought of her as capable of being quite so devious. He had also been able to back Jefferson off, he hoped, from further ill-treatment of the comely security officer.

Gold gently carried Belle over to a low cot set in the corner of the lab, letting his hand drift over her uncovered legs and arms before covering her up with a skimpy blanket. She slept for several hours.

She awoke suddenly, startled, early the next morning.

"Oh, where. . . what. . . oh." She pulled her situation back together. She quickly got up, soothing down her very short dress and running her fingers through her mass of tumbling hair. She quickly came over to him, aware that she could be scrutinized via the mirrors in the lab.

"Sir, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep. Please sir," she seemed appropriately afraid of his response.

"Well, you are finally up. I've been working all night and I need you to go get me breakfast and try to see if you can't make me some klah."

She bowed her head. "Yes sir. I shall find the kitchen." She started out but then stopped. "Sir, I'm so sorry, but what would you like me to bring you to eat?"

"Well I remember that the food here is worse than it was aboard Nolen's ship, so I don't have high hopes that anything you can find for me will be edible. Tell the kitchen staff that you serve Captain Dark and you want food suitable for the alien overlord."

"Yes sir. I can do that sir. I shall be back as soon as I can sir." She backed out of the room.

"Oh, and Belle," he called out to her.

She stopped, her blue eyes widening. "Sir?"

"If anyone tries to. . . delay you, remind them that you are my personal. . . servant."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir."

Belle ran out of the room and Gold was sure she would keep running until she found the kitchens.

This fortress was bigger than a starship. It took Belle a while to find the kitchens, despite having been in them earlier. There was tremendous hustle and bustle in the kitchen and it took some effort before she could get anyone's attention.

Once she mentioned 'Captain Dark,' there was an immediate change in the atmosphere. Chefs, cooks, assistant cooks, sous chefs, bus boys, and scullery maids were all falling over themselves. A particularly nice older woman, who said she was an assistant cook, put his plate together, sharing that she remembered the types of food her preferred from his time here thirty years ago. She also put together a second plate for Belle. This same assistant also took Belle to the machinery for making klah. She explained that the beans they had were probably stale, but it was all they had. Belle was assured the kitchen would be requesting new beans for the Captain, but today she would have to make do with what they had. Belle privately thought that the beans were likely left over from thirty years ago, but she did her best with them. She knew it would almost certainly result in a subpar result.

A basket was provided and Belle was laden with a breakfast she hoped was fit for a king, or at least, an alien overlord. She began lugging it back to the lab, hoping she could find it, realizing that she should have dropped breadcrumbs on her way down to the kitchen. On her third staircase, she encountered the dark Queen.

"Ma'am," she curtsied to the Queen, keeping her eyes lowered.

"Running away already, my dear?" the Queen asked her.

"No ma'am. Just going for breakfast and hoping I can find my way back to the lab. This place is so big."

"I would think that he would expect you to run away once he had let you out of his sight."

"Oh," said Belle. "I would be too afraid of him to try that. I would be afraid he might kill me if I did anything that he disapproved of."

"Do you have feelings for him?" the Queen asked abruptly. When Belle hesitated, the Queen added, "Many women have fallen for him, my dear. He can be very charming when he wants to be."

"I don't have feelings for him," she said. _Liar. _"I know him only as a brilliant scientist. A rich man with exquisite tastes. I don't see why he wants me."

The Queen gave a low laugh. "Oh, you underestimate yourself, my dear. He's the kind of man that's attracted to beauty."

"I don't know. There is something very dark in him," Belle said.

"There is. I used to think the man was possessed. . . or cursed. I think he's waiting for True Love to come his way to undo his curse."

"And how would that work?" Belle asked, curiously.

"A kiss, a confession of love. It might undo that dark side of him." Then the Queen smiled and left her, turning down another corridor.

Belle realized she was trembling. She was not used to saying one thing while she believed another. She was too plain spoken for duplicity.

She managed, eventually, on her own, to find the lab. "Sir, I have some breakfast."

Gold was not happy to see her lugging the heavy basket.

"They didn't offer to send a kitchen helper with you?"

"Oh, I told them I could manage it."

He closed his eyes. _Miss Independence._ _He should spank. . . or kiss. . . some sense into her. _

She paused a moment, putting out the klah. "The klah may not be drinkable. All they had were stale beans. I did my best."

He sampled it. _This woman was amazing. She got this much from stale beans. She was gifted. _"It's. . . drinkable," he murmured. "You got food for yourself?"

"One of the assistant cooks packed me something,"

_He needed to remember to find out who that was and have them promoted. _

"Well, eat. We have work to do." He continued with his work, stopping to occasionally take bites. His food was actually palatable. _Definitely needed to find out who the cook was_. He occasionally glanced her way. She was nibbling delicately on her food. Good. He'd seen too many women who would refuse to eat when they were under traumatic circumstances, weakening them so they weren't able to fight back or defend themselves when they needed to.

It took him a moment to realize that she was extending her time with her food, as a work-or-time-with-him-avoidance ploy. _Clever girl. If Regina was watching, and the prickles on his neck told him she almost certainly was, it would look like Belle was trying to avoid having contact with him. _

"Finish your food, wench," he directed her. "I have more work for you to do."

"Yes sir," he heard her whisper. And she bent herself seriously to her food.

He was lost in his work again. There had been a significant breakthrough _the significant breakthrough_ during the night. He desperately wanted to share it with Belle, but could not think how to do it. He was suddenly aware that she was standing at his elbow.

"You said you had more work for me to do?"

He looked at her, her hair still tousled from sleep and a lack of a comb. Her eyes darkened with fatigue. Her lips darkened and still moist from drinking her klah. He looked again at the short, brief dress that Regina had put her in. It revealed her curvaceous figure, her legs and more than a little cleavage. Taking it all in, he thought she had never looked more desirable.

He didn't immediately respond, looking her over slowly. The prickles on the back of his neck were active. _They were definitely being observed. _He looked up at her face and found that she was quietly looking back at him, her eyes were wide with. . . something. Was it desire or fear?

Gold made a decision. One that he hoped he wouldn't regret. _Something extreme that might finally convince Regina that he had no feelings for the woman._

She chose that moment to lick her lips. "I can think of another use for that pretty mouth of yours," he told her, his voice having an unpleasant edge.

"Sir?" She reflexively stepped back. He reached out and grabbed her, pulling her under the holograph table, pushing her down to her knees _out of view of the mirror. _He could hear her crying, "No, please no." It tore his heart, she sounded so pitiable.

His plan was to mimic the behavior of a man being serviced by a beautiful woman, but he was astonished when he actually felt her hands on his pants. She was unbuttoning them.

"Belle!" he couldn't help his response. He had not meant, had not intended, he wasn't actually going to have her. . . He felt her fine, delicate hands, then nearly came out of his chair when he felt her fine, delicate lips.

Then there was her tongue.

He was absolutely unable to concentrate on his work, on his exciting new discovery, on Regina, on anything. His world became the gentle sensations she was producing, provoking, eliciting. He realized he was gripping the sides of the table and his breathing had become ragged. Witch! Did she know what she was doing to him? Oh hell, she seemed to know exactly what she was doing. He closed his eyes, relishing the feelings she was giving him. It had been so long for him, too long. He couldn't last, didn't last long. . . .

He knew, he didn't want to, but he knew he had to pull himself back together. This was life and death. He pulled Belle upright. She was smiling at him coyly.

"That was excellent. I wasn't expecting it to go quite the way it did," he managed to tell her, honestly.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?" she asked sweetly.

_Witch indeed_. "That's more than enough for now." _There would absolutely be retribution, someday, he promised himself. _And for now, he was still trying to clear his head, steady his breathing and slow his heart rate. He was finally able to direct her, "Now sit on your stool. I have other work for you to do." He reached into his pocket and making sure that his body blocked the mirror, he removed from his pocket the Sugar Diamond he had just successfully transmogrified. "Hold onto this for me, Belle. It's too damaged to be used in the project, but the miners will take it back and sell it for commercial use."

He handed her the large granulated white crystal. There was no question what it was.

Belle's eyes shot up to his. "Did you do. . .find this, this morning?"

"About four thirty or so. They don't show up often, the miners do a good job of filtering their diamonds. That's one of the reasons I prefer working with them. This one might have passed for a poor quality sapphire."

"Sapphire, sir?" she asked innocently, her eyes continuing to meet his gaze.

He smiled back at her. _Yes, Witch. _She had been right all along and, he felt, she deserved to know. "Sapphire," he confirmed.

+ + + + + _So Much Trouble_

"Oh. My. Stars." Ruby greeted her best friend, Snow at breakfast the following morning. "You are glowing, missy. Tell me, tell me. What happened?"

Snow felt herself growing warm. _Was it that apparent? Was she wearing a sign? Fallen woman._

"Ok. I let him take the lead and. . . "

"Yes?"

"It was wonderful. He was very gentle, but it was amazing. It was explosive." She knew she was blushing. "Several times."

"Oh go on honey. Sounds like he got the job done."

"And then some. Oh, Ruby, how can I keep the man a prisoner? This relationship as it stands now cannot possibly last."

"Are you thinking of letting him go?"

Snow nodded, "But I'm not sure how best to do it."

"Well, I can't help you there, Snow."

"Hey, wait a minute. How's it going with you and the doctor? He did well for you the first night."

"And the second night too, I have to admit," Ruby was smiling widely. "He's such a mix of things. He seems so quiet and gentle, but he's also forceful and, like your Captain, he gets the job done. I have no complaints. He's the best I've ever had. And I wasn't expecting it."

"Where is he now?" Snow asked.

"Out doing his doctoring work. He asked me if that would be ok and I said, 'why not?'. It's not like he's hurting anyone; in fact, he's helping people. And that was one of the things I liked about him from the beginning. He helps people without any thought of payment or profit or even gratitude. He does it because," Ruby struggled with a new moral concept for herself, "because, it's because it the right thing to do. I'm beginning to fall for the guy," she finally confessed.

"We are both in so much trouble," Snow summed up their situations.

**A.N: What, no cliff hanger ending?! I thought I'd give everybody a break for a change. **

**Certainly want to thank my reviewers: ****Trees (who I suspect welcomed the raciness of this chapter); thedoctorsgirl42 (one of my two most faithful reviewers), BrittanyLS (obviously a Rumbelle fan, please note I added Belle to the Character listing – had not wanted to do it earlier to keep expectations open), Jaybird6 (been liking the specificity of your reviews) and Coil way (I assure you everything will turn out ok – except maybe for Regina – like every other OUAT fan, I'm a romantic a heart and want the happy ending)**

_NEXT Unpleasantness between Gold and Belle _

_ Captain Dark needs to go off-world_

_ Regina makes a stand_


	9. Misery

+ + + + + _Misery_

It was late evening the day of The Lab Incident With Belle (as well as Gold's clinching the transmutation of sapphires to Sugar Diamonds). Belle had pressed him to take a break and get something to eat. She had successfully secured the cooking talents of the same assistant cook who had done so well for them at breakfast and she and Gold were having a late supper in his now mirrorless bedchamber.

"I'm hoping to convince Regina that I need more supplies, diamonds will do as well as sapphires, whatever, it matters not. I hope to be able to get a ship and crew together and maybe get us all off this rock. Graham's going to be the hardest for her to give up but, I hope, she's already tired of him."

Belle sat a moment. She was exhausted and astonished at Gold's stamina. She was well aware that he had been driving himself relentlessly for the past couple of days. She knew he had checked on Captain Nolen, Dr. Hopper and, even Graham. She knew he had made several contacts with the Hatter to check on Emma. She had come to realize that he did not need to sleep, but she knew that he would sometimes need to rest. And except for that first evening he had spent with her, he had not sat down or lain down or taken a moment to himself that she was aware of.

"You're trying to help us, aren't you? You care about us," she told him.

Gold blinked his eyes and obviously struggled with this. He slowly admitted, "I care about you."

Belle reached over to him and drew him to her. "I think that you are so amazing. And wonderful. And I care about you, too."

He immediately pulled back from her, shaking his head, admonishing her, "No, no, no. You should never feel that. You can never feel that." He stood up and moved away from her.

"Oh I don't care what you've done in the past, I think. . . "

He interrupted her, turning on her, suddenly agitated. "The past! The past? You think that all the monstrous things I've done are all in the past? Belle, only two days ago, I allowed people who have been kind to me, who were trying to protect me, I allowed those people to be taken captive by some very unpleasant people. Graham is now lying with a woman who could and would kill him for the most trivial of reasons. Your ship's doctor is with a woman who is simply using him for her amusement. She may not be likely to kill him, but she will probably toss him aside when she's finished. And Emma, your dear friend Emma, look what she's with. The Hatter's mad. I wasn't sure that she'd survive that first night with him. And I have had to abuse you to convince the Queen that I'm the same sociopathic scoundrel I was thirty years ago. If I'd broken the mirrors before she had seen anything, she would have known that I wasn't. "

"But you have good reasons for all of this?" she asked in a tiny voice. "Don't you?"

He laughed , more at himself that at what she had said, "I was determined to create the Sugar Diamonds. I knew the pirates would have the resources to help me continue in that quest. But they are a_ thing_, Belle. I've been willing to risk the lives of people on a _thing_."

"But it's a thing that will vastly improve the lives of so many. An incredible power source," she tried to legitimize his actions.

"It's still a thing, Belle. Do you think Graham and Emma are willing to die for this thing? They might die, you know." He continued to rant, "I am not a nice man. I am deeply flawed."

Belle hung her head. "You don't think someone could. . . love you, despite your flaws?"

He shook his head, "Belle, I have great gaping holes in my soul. I have done horrible, unforgivable things. Inside of me is a dark. . ." he couldn't find the word at first, "abyss of violent, unspeakable actions, actions I am quite likely to repeat tomorrow or next week."

His words tore at her. He was so miserable, so wretched. She said, slowly, softly, "But you care about me?"

"Belle, you cannot trust me to be honest with you. I will say whatever I think I need to, to get what I want. Never forget, Belle. I am a monster. No one, no one can love me."

Belle sat quietly for a long time. She stared at him, silently. He had turned away from her, but was aware of her continued scrutiny. "I think," she finally said. "I think, you find it easier to think of yourself as a monster than to think of yourself as a man. That's easier for you to do than to accept that, as a man, you have had to make some difficult decisions, decisions that hurt others, maybe that caused others to die. I think everything you do has a reason, but the price has sometimes been so great that you haven't been able to bear it."

He was shaking his head. "You do not know what you are talking about Belle. You don't know what I've done, what I'm capable of doing." He put his head in his hands.

Belle looked at this brilliant man. He was enigmatic and exciting, but obviously tortured and tormented. As gently as she could, she began, "If you aren't happy with what you are, then change it. Become a friend, not an abuser. Become a man, not a monster. Become a hero, not a coward. You can do. . . you can be. . . you can become whatever you want." She moved away from him, now more than a little angry. "And stop throwing my feelings back in my face. I'm free to care about who ever I want to and I won't let you make me feel badly about caring for you! I'm falling in love with you, you asshole! Accept it, don't accept it. But don't tell me how I feel." She did her best to stomp, barefoot, out of the room, settling herself into the large chair in the small corner by the window from where he had first greeted her. As far away from him as she could get.

+ + + + + _Dangerous_

Gold was unable to concentrate. _Belle was falling in love with him. _But she didn't really know what he was, how objectionable he was, how unlovable he was._ But she was falling in love with him. _This had started as a game for him_. _He often played this game. He knew it could be dangerous. And now,he kept finding himself trembling with the force of his own feelings. _She was falling in love with him. _This would not happen. This could not happen. _Don't tell me how I feel. _"I care about you," he had told her that. He had meant it. _She was falling in love with him. _She shouldn't care for him. She couldn't care for him. This was so dangerous. Regina was too perceptive. Everything was at risk. He had to get them out of here.

He left Belle in his bed chamber. He transported himself to the highest turret of the fortress and perched on the ledge like a gargoyle, sitting as still as stone, watching the night sky and waiting for the sun to rise.

+ + + + + _Need to Go_

It was first thing in the morning, soon after those who had wanted a breakfast had gotten one.

"Regina!" Gold called out, walking into the Great Hall. A night on the turret had cleared his head somewhat and he had been able to refocus on his immediate goal. "Regina," he called out again calling her attention, as well as everyone else in the Great Hall, to him.

Regina had re-placed herself on the throne. Sitting near her, on the floor of the dais, was Graham. He seemed absolutely drugged, unresponsive, dull and vacant. Regina immediately stood up when Captain Dark, as she and all her people called him, came into the room. He reached for her and planted a kiss directly on her mouth in full view of her court, well, actually, it was his court now. He was free to kiss whoever, however he wanted to.

"Regina, dearie, I need to go to Dragondwell," he told her. "I'll take the miner and we can work out a deal to get some more stones. This last batch was unsatisfactory and I will want to review what they are willing to trade with me this time to be sure they will work." His tone was clear. There would be no discussion. "We will ransom the miner for a deal to get future stones."

"Of course, darling," Regina was too, too agreeable. "You will want a ship, I'm sure. Might I suggest my step-daughter's vessel."

"That would be fine. I'll want to leave immediately," he told the Queen.

She smiled. "But of course. I will give orders to ready the ship. You will want a crew, I'm sure."

"Oh yes," Captain Dark was off-hand. He would let Regina take the lead.

"I would suggest my step-daughter and her two sub-officers, The Hatter and Ruby Red." Snow, Ruby and the Hatter, as usual, were all in the attending entourage. They were accompanied by their latest conquest-prisoners, Nolen and Swan. Hopper was already out working in the town, doing his best with limited resources for the poorer denizens of pirate world.

Captain Dark shrugged. This would be fine with him.

"Of course, Graham here and the little librarian, whatever is her name? Those two will stay behind," Regina said smoothly.

Captain Dark turned back to Regina. "What did you say?"

"I want to keep Graham and the librarian, here, Captain," Regina repeated herself, a slight smile perched on her lovely face.

"Why? I can understand, maybe, why you are keeping Graham, although I remember you preferring your amusements a little more lively. But the librarian? You have some books you need to have organized?" He tried to keep his voice casual.

"Do you?" she asked.

"Well, she's keeping my things dusted off very nicely right now," he replied archly.

Regina was still smiling, "I'm sure. But no, darling. I'm keeping these two back to be sure _you_ will come back. I don't entirely trust you. You taught me not to trust you."

He took her hands into his. "My darling. Do you think for a moment that I want to go back to the Service? You described them well, 'stodgy.' I prefer this population. Always dynamic. Many beautiful women who don't spit on me because my skin is green. And now," Captain Dark continued, running his hands down her arms and then back up, grasping her above the elbows. "I have a Queen who can entertain me if I so desire."

"You could, my dear, anytime. But I'm still keeping Graham and the librarian here."

Gold realized quickly that the more he protested, the more Regina would entrench.

Regina leaned in so that only he could hear her. "I know who the little librarian really is. And I know you have feelings for her," she whispered. "Caught in a web of your own making. Huh? I need you to know that if you don't come back within eight weeks, I will kill her. And I want that formula whenever you complete it."

Gold released Regina and stood quietly. He wasn't sure what she was talking about. _Caught in his own web?_

Regina walked around him. "I want you to believe how sincere I am in my intentions." She walked towards Graham and reached to his chest. In front of the disbelieving members of _The Grimm's _crew, a beating heart appeared in Regina's outstretched hand. Graham cried out once and collapsed.

Everyone one in the room was frozen in horror and surprise. It was Emma who reacted first, springing forward. "You bitch!"

And she launched herself at Regina.

Surprised, Regina dropped the heart. She did not make any movement to avoid the outraged young officer who impacted with her, wrapping her hands around her waist and taking her down. The Queen was thrown backwards onto her back. Emma ended up sitting on the Queen's stomach and proceeded to pummel her with closed fists. Regina was attempting to shield her face and was screaming.

Gold shrugged his shoulders and took a deep breath. A bit wearily, he raised one hand to motion to The Hatter. "Can you get your women off the Queen?" he asked calmly. "I'll take care of Regina."

With some trepidation, Jefferson reached down and picked up Emma by the waist. She was still flailing but now her arms and legs did not make purchase and she was hitting at air. "Let me down. Let me down!" she was yelling. Jefferson swung her up, eventually shifting her so that she was over his shoulder. He carried her out of the Great Hall, still flailing, and now cursing.

Gold reached down and pulled Regina upright. She was stumbling and wiping blood from her face. "Understand something, dearie," he said harshly. "These people were, are, my friends. I do not take kindly to anything happening to them." He pulled her so that he was holding her closely and looked directly into her eyes. "If I return and find so much as a hair on Belle's head has been damaged, there is no corner of the universe that you will be able to hide in. I will hunt you down. I will destroy you, utterly, completely, totally. Is there any part of what I have just said that you don't understand?"

Regina glared at him and managed to spit out her response, "I understand, Dark. But you take longer than eight weeks, and she will be mine to dispose of and I shall do so, utterly, completely, totally. Is there any part of what I have just said that you don't understand?" Regina maintained her eye contact. "You may come after me for revenge, but she will still be dead."

"I think we understand each other well," he confirmed. He turned to the entourage standing in the Great Hall.

"Bring me the prisoner Belle and the assistant cook who has been helping her in the kitchen. I would see them both in my lab immediately. Regina, you follow me."

When Regina didn't move, Gold looked at her. "Move," he raised his voice at her, turned and left.

Regina hesitated very briefly and then trailed after him. She had a bloodied nose and her hair was in disarray. Her dress had been torn. She still managed to make her exit with some vestiges of dignity.

Snow looked at Ruby. "All right. I guess we get the ship ready for a voyage. Nolen, I'm taking you with us. Ruby, go find Hopper. He may be useful. We'll get Leroy out of the cell and situated on the ship."

+ + + + + _An Old Curse_

Gold was in the lab pacing. Regina ambled in after him. She went to the sink in the room and began to clean herself up.

She complained, "If it were up to me, I would extinguish that little hellion who jumped on me. The Hatter has his hands full with her. Why did you want me here?"

"To witness my last words to Belle before I go," he said shortly.

It was only a moment before an older woman was ushered in. She curtsied to both Regina and Captain Dark.

The woman seemed bewildered. "I was told to come here? Captain Dark?"

He nodded at her. "You are the cook who's been assisting my servant?" Dark asked her.

"The very pretty girl with light brown hair and big blue eyes?"

"The same."

"Yes, she seemed rather overwhelmed. I packed her food for you and for herself. I've tried to get her some help to bring it up here but she always refuses."

"What do they call you?" the Captain asked her.

"Oh, I'm just known as Granny."

"You are now the head of the kitchen. Someone with your skills is wasted as an assistant cook. Shortly, I will be putting someone into your care."

Gold then stopped and turned Regina to face him. "What did you mean 'a web of my own making'?" Her words in the Great Hall were laying heavy on him.

Regina looked at him. One of her eyes and her lips were now beginning to seriously swell from Emma's beating. She did not look her best. "You don't know, do you? You honestly don't remember." She laughed at him. "One of your older curses, my dear Dark One, come back to bite you on the ass."

He still looked puzzled. Regina laughed again. "Don't you know that I kept an eye on you after you were left on Dragondwell. Most of the time all that was available to me were cloudy water reflections. But after you got off planet, there were real mirrors. I saw when you made the bet with those six young men. I knew they would lose. And so they each ended up each owing you a favor. Is that true, so far?"

He nodded slowly.

"The first two refused to pay. Then one of them died under mysterious circumstances, the second, well the story is that you promised to take his first born away from him."

_It had been twenty-seven years ago, soon after Gold had been rescued from Dragondwell and gone on to the Science Academy. He was not accepted by the other students, his brilliance, his arrogance and his alien appearance estranged others from him. Then, early on, there were The Six, bully-boys all, and their straw-into-gold bet that he had handily won. The first two had refused to pay their debt when asked and, as Regina had stated, the first one had died and the second one had been cursed. The third, fourth and fifth members of the group had since readily paid their debts when he had asked for payment. There was still the sixth member that he had yet to call in. He thought back. The second young man was. . . what was his name. . . it was so long ago. . . Mr. English? No, that didn't sound right. Mr. German? No that wasn't it._

The name crashed in on him and he stopped breathing.

At that moment Belle, who had been taking care of laundry, was escorted back into the lab. She immediately cast her eyes down and held back.

Gold looked at her for a moment, speechless. _Moe French's first born. And she was his, by right. Time had passed and the curse still operated, drawing her to him, drawing them together. _

He shook his head to clear it. "Belle," he addressed her. "I will be leaving for a short time to get more. . . diamonds for the experiment. Regina is insistent that you remain here. She has threatened to kill you if I should try to take you away and demonstrated her abilities to do this by killing Graham from your vessel."

Belle's face went white, "No! Graham's dead? That's terrible," tears sprang into her eyes and she had to grasp the table to stop herself from collapsing.

"Regina and I have an agreement. She has given me eight weeks to make my journey to get my diamonds and get back. I have warned her not to do any harm to you during my absence and I would like you to remain in the care of. . .Granny. She is the cook from the kitchen who has been helping you. I have put her in charge of the kitchen. You can remain there."

Gold approached Belle. _She belonged to him, could not help but be drawn to him. _"Listen to me, my sweet," he told her. "I've been doing nothing but thinking over what you told me. Have no doubt of my feelings. I will return for you. And when I return I plan to take everything that you denied Gold."

As Belle was pondering what 'everything' was, _touching, kissing and, oh yes, bedding, _Gold had begun to kiss her, holding her melded to his own body. He whispered, "And thank you again for that little treat yesterday, Belle. That little ability wasn't in your personnel record. A serious over cite and one that warrants the favor returned."

He released her and handed her off to Granny. "Take care of her. I know I can trust you." He turned to Regina, "Stay away from her. I have eight weeks."

He left the three women together in the lab.

_Damn Regina. It had begun as a curse, but he knew there was something else he had promised Moe French, something Regina did not know. The man had come to him. The child's mother had died. The child was all he had left. He was pleading, begging, promising him anything, anything if he could just to keep his child. He was willing to pay off his debt tenfold, but wanted to keep his child. "Nobody breaks a deal with me," Gold had told him. But then, Gold had relented, remembering his own pain with the loss of his wife and then the loss of his own child and how the pain had driven him mad. He could not take back the curse but had promised French that he would wait before taking the child and, not understanding at the time how it would rebound on himself, he did something unprecedented. He promised French that the child would be happy. _

_He had to smile. She _would_ be happy. This was the woman whom he could make happy, who could make him happy. And Regina was getting in his way. Damn her._

+ + + + + _A New Problem_

Emma was sitting on the floor of the bridge of _The Prince_, Snow's ship. Earlier she had been crying into the shoulder of the Hatter who had been gently patting her and softly saying soothing words. As if she had suddenly become aware of who was comforting her, she had abruptly pulled back from him and then pulled herself together. The Hatter left her on the bridge to go and supervise the loading. Emma was no longer crying but her pretty face still reflected her tears. And she was still angry. Very, very angry.

Captain Dark, aka Gold, aka Ryu, strode onto the bridge. "Snow, you're in charge. Get Leroy out of his cell and head us for Dragondwell." He walked over to Emma and asked her kindly, "Are you going to be ok?"

"Why didn't you let me kill her or, at least, hurt her some more?" she asked him.

"Because she's mine to kill, Emma. You just hurt for Graham. I hurt for Graham many times over." _And you can't kill her with your human abilities and simple human weapons. _He knelt down so that he was able to look into her eyes. "I am glad you got in a couple of licks. You bloodied her nose, punched her lip and gave her a black eye. She'll look black and blue for weeks." He gave her a gentle kiss on her nose. "Thanks."

Emma gave him a weak smile back.

Nolen was sitting next to Snow. Ruby was also monitoring their progress in preparation for them leaving the dock. Dr. Hopper was also on the bridge and came over to comfort Emma. He spent time looking at her hands which had some skin torn up.

The Hatter came back in. "We're loaded up and ready to go, Captain." He looked from Gold to Snow to Nolen. "Oh hell, who's in charge here?"

"I am," said Gold, "but I'm having Snow take us out of the dock and set this ship on course since she's used to doing that. It's called delegation. Where is Leroy? He should be here."

It was only a few moments later when the disgruntled dwarf was led in. He had had his shackles removed and was looking around trying to figure out what had happened.

"We're going to rescue Belle with some of your diamonds. Leroy, I want to make a deal with you. I want to return you to your people and get an agreement to continue to sell me what I want. Not Regina or any of her people, just me. Are you in?"

"No, Ryu. There's a problem."

The Hatter whispered to Emma. "Ryu?"

"That was Gold's. . .uh, Dark's name when he was living on Dragondwell and riding dragons and such," she whispered back.

The Hatter was impressed. He gently laid his hand on Emma's shoulder. She did not flinch or pull away. "Riding dragons, huh?"

"What's the problem?" Gold asked. He was not happy.

"There's someone on Faeland that I want to see."

"Oh shit," said Gold. He sighed, "Go ahead."

"It was several years ago. The Fae were negotiating with us. They have diamonds but nothing like some of the other gems we have, like the sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. They put them on their dresses and crowns and such." Gold gestured for him to hurry along with his story. "I met the sweetest little Fae. Her name was Astrid. We, I think she felt the same way, we fell in love. But the Reul Ghorm, she didn't approve of me and. . .and. . . well, let's just say it didn't work out." The little man seemed choked up. "I have to know, Ryu. If she doesn't want me, then she doesn't want me and I will let it drop and go on with my life and I'll get you the gems you want. But if she still cares, if she's willing, then I want her to come away with me. Can you help me?"

Gold summarized his understanding of what he had been told. "You want me to go to Faeland. Find one particular Fae. See if she loves you and, if she does, convince her to allow me to spirit her away from the other Fae, including one of the most powerful entities in the galaxy, the Reul Ghorm?" Gold was barely containing his irritation.

"Yeah, that sounds right. I'll give you a lifetime contract for whatever you want at a fair market price if you do this for me."

Gold groaned and sat back in his chair, his head in his hands. "You do know that the Fae hate me and would do everything they could to destroy me?"

Leroy just shrugged, "Sorry."

Nolen spoke up. "This Astrid. Is she the Reul Ghorm's personal assistant? A slight woman, brunette, curly hair, pretty, cute smile, kinda bubbly? I think I met her when I had my meeting the Reul Ghorm when we were on Faeland on shore leave."

Leroy nodded. "That sounds like her. I know that the Reul Ghorm gave her a job after she sent me away. I think it was more to keep an eye on her and to make sure she didn't run after me."

Emma had watched the exchange. She came forward slowly. "Dr. Gold. I may have a plan. I need some questions answered first."

Gold narrowed his eyes and looked at the security officer, "Go ahead."

She continued. "Can you make yourself look human. . .ish?"

"For a reasonable amount of time, yes," he answered puzzled. "But the Fae can't touch me. If they touch me, they would see through me. And some of the Fae, if they concentrated long enough, might see through me without touching me."

Emma nodded. "With what I have in mind, no one will be looking at you, Gold."

She continued, "So now, tell me, in a face to face confrontation, would you beat the Reul Ghorm?"

He considered. "If she wasn't expecting a hit. Sure, I would take her down for a while. Probably a smoke potion of some type."

"How long? Are we talking minutes, hours, days?"

"Maybe an hour," he estimated.

"That should be plenty of time." Emma smiled at him and patted him on the arm. She turned away. "My next question is for Ruby."

Ruby was attentive, "What's up?"

"Ruby, do you have anything slutty. . ." Emma's eyes roamed over the briefly cut shorts and revealing top the sub-commander wore and she added ". . .er that you can lend me and Snow?"

"Sure, honey. I think you'd look stunning in black and we can put Snow in white. But, what's up?"

"Thanks, we'll probably need help with some over the top makeup. Well now I need a quality suit for Dr. Gold. Jefferson, can you suggest something for that?"

Jefferson nodded. "Of course. Glad to be of assistance."

Gold looked over the young man's brightly colored attire with some distaste.

"Hey, I'll get you something rich and sophisticated looking. Something completely dull," Jefferson promised.

"Captain Nolen, I'll need some information from you about the Reul Ghorm's ship," Emma told him. "And Jefferson, I'll need a dose of that tranquillizer you brought me down with. And Leroy we'll need a token from you to show your Astrid. Now, listen Dr. Gold, this is my plan."

As Emma outlined her proposal, Gold listened quietly and, as her plan unfolded, he began to sit up and slowly began to smile. "Very nice, Princess," he complimented her. He caught Jefferson's eye, "I told you, a woman of substance and character. Although," he considered, "when a female has a mind this devious, she needs to be regularly disciplined or she can become dangerous. You may want to rethink beating her regularly just to keep her in line." Gold told him, all the while smiling at Emma.

_NEXT: Gold keeps an appointment_

_ Negotiation and Betrayal_

**A.N. Again thanks to all my great reviewers: ****thedoctorsgirl42, First Death, monster, MyraValhallah, PrincessTiannah, Claire, Jaybird6, Coil way, Grace5231973, and cynicsquest (I think I got everybody). Reviewers really help me shape my work and are much appreciated. txm**


	10. Back at the Fortress

+ + + + + _Back at the Fortress_

Granny had been wonderful. Belle had been settled into a comfortable room near the kitchen and given proper cook's attire to wear rather than the skimpy whore-garb that Regina had put her into. She quickly found herself following Granny around the kitchen learning different cooking techniques. She was, at best, a modestly trained home-cook but she was well able to recognize that Granny was an artist.

"You were able to put together a meal that Captain Dark actually liked," Belle told her early the first morning. "What did you fix for him?"

"Oh that," replied Granny. "I'd remembered when he was here so long ago that he liked his food really, really, really spicy hot, hotter than what any human could manage. Otherwise he would complain that the food had no taste. I would just grind up the hottest peppers I could find and add to whatever else everyone else is eating. That seems to work for him."

"Ok," Belle considered this. Given his reptilian body and preference for heat, this made some sense. "Well now I have some idea what to fix for him."

"Now," Granny started with her. "You have to teach me how to make klah. There are a handful of people around here who have a taste for it."

Belle laughed and readily agreed.

This was not turning out to be so bad, well, assuming that Gold would return in a timely manner and not leave her to Regina's tender mercies. She did trust the man, didn't she?

_There was just enough doubt._

+ + + + + _An Appointment_

They had an appointment. The man, an older man, perhaps in his early fifties, was accompanied by three very, very attractive women. All three were heavily made-up with dark eye make-up and bright red lipstick. One of the women, a very lovely blonde dressed in a single-piece black leather ensemble with high cuts on the thighs and a deep V-neck, walked in front. She sported strategically placed metal spikes and rings on her outfit. She also wore a leather collar and thigh high boots with spike heels. She carried a variety of weapons, including both guns and knives.

The blonde was followed by a striking brunette, dressed in micro-mini white skirt, with a strapless bra-top. On her feet, she wore only simple thongs, wrapped around her ankles and her middle toes. She carried no weapons, just a small computer pad. She held the man lightly on the arm.

The third female in the group was a tall, elegant brunette, with long dark hair complete with red streaks, dressed in some type of shiny red short-shorts and a corseted top. She walked behind the group, often glancing from side to side. Her shoes had tall heels and were strapped to her ankles and up her legs by red wraps. She also was armed with an assortment of weapons.

All three women wore interesting necklaces.

Only an astute observer might have actually noticed the man, dressed impeccably in a quiet, dark suit, carrying a cane. Attention went to and stayed with the women.

Only the very astute observer might have noticed a second man, dressed entirely in black who held back from the group, watching their backs.

"We have an appointment," the blonde told the Fae guard who was standing in front of the ship. "The emissary of the miners from Dragondwell." The guard was a big man with lotsa muscles standing between the group and the door, not one of the Fae as they were all females. He gaped at the women, not even noticing there was a man in the group.

It took him a moment before he responded to the blonde. "No weapons," the guard said. "I have to search you."

In the back of the group the tall brunette gave a throaty laugh. "That should be interesting." She stepped forward, pulling her gun from her hip holster and a knife from a holder on her thigh. She pulled a second knife from amongst the shoe ties on her lower leg. She sauntered up to the guard. "Now where else do you think I might have a weapon concealed?" The guard was looking her over. It was hard to imagine that there was anyplace anything might be concealed. The brunette's attire was brief and tight.

The guard actually seemed flummoxed. "Well you can go."

The blonde in front cast off several visible weapons and with her costume being equally small and snug, soon found herself passed through.

The shorter brunette carried no weapons, just her small computer pad. "I'm his personal secretary. I don't carry weapons," she explained.

She was also passed.

"Now I have to search the man."

The blonde stepped between the guard and the man. "No one touches Mr. Drakon," she explained. "I can give you his coat and vest and I can search him in front of you, but no one, no one, touches him but one of us."

The guard shook his head. "Everybody going into see the Reul Ghorm has to be searched. It's a rule."

The blonde suddenly leaned forward, giving the guard an eyeful of her generous cleavage. "But sir, think about this. . ." while the blonde talked on, the guard fixated on her fair flesh. While the guard was gaping, the brunette with the red streaks in her hair also leaned forward and, pulling an apparatus out of her necklace, hit him on the side of the neck with a syringe that almost instantly caused the man to sink to his knees.

Emma murmured under her breathe, "Thank you, Jefferson."

Dr. Gold was reluctant to use magic this close to the Reul Ghorm, concerned that she might detect it, so he and the three women had to put some effort into dragging the cumbersome guard away. They secured him and left him. When he came to, he should be able to free himself, or at least begin crying out until someone coming by would find him.

The two women collected their weapons. Then, Emma went back and knocked on the door of the sleek space yacht.

"Nolen wasn't kidding when he talked about this ship. This is quite the little beauty," she observed.

"I suspect it allows the Reul Ghorm the ability to get around her planet quite quickly," observed Gold. "But this ship clearly allows for interstellar travel. I'm impressed too."

The door was opened by a petite pretty Fae. She let them inside, not noting the absence of the guard. The little Fae led them into a conference room. "Can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink?" The Fae was nervous, sounding a little out of breath when she talked. She didn't seem to notice that Emma was armed.

"Tea all around," ordered Dr. Gold.

It was soon brought in. "Oh, I forgot to ask," the little Fae was obviously intimidated by the visitors. "Did you want something with the tea? Lemon, sugar, honey?"

"Honey please, all around," ordered Dr. Gold again.

When the assistant reappeared, she was also carrying some plates and some plain cookies. "I thought you might want a little snack."

"Why thank you, Miss. . .?" Gold inquired.

"Astrid. I'm just Astrid," the Fae seemed very nervous and, as she became more flustered around Gold, she became more clumsy.

"Glad to meet you, my dear." Gold responded, turning on his charm.

"These ladies with you, sir?" Astrid asked, more from her nervousness than any real interests.

"These two," he pointed to Emma and Ruby, "are my bodyguards and this lady," he pointed to Snow, "is my personal secretary. They are invaluable to my job."

As Astrid began to put out tiny little plates and teacups, along with the cookies, Gold asked her in a neutral tone of voice, "Would you happen to be the Astrid that is acquainted with Leroy of the Miners of Dragondwell?"

Astrid dropped one of the plates. Fortunately it landed on the table making only a thud.

"Leroy? You know Leroy?" She managed to look both excited and fearful at the same time.

"We are here as his emissaries, looking for one, Astrid. Would you be she?" Gold asked her.

"Well, it's been a while. But I did know a Leroy of the Miners a long time ago."

"He wanted us to convey his deepest affection, his caring and concern . . . and his love for the Fae Astrid. He wanted to know, if she were willing, if she would come and join him on Dragondwell, to live in an honorable state with him," Gold said in his most persuasive tones.

"You're proposing for him?" Astrid asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

Snow spoke up, "Leroy of the Miners knows he is not welcome here and would never be allowed to see you. But he wishes you to know that he thinks of you every day. His life is not complete without you. If you are not willing, he will honor this and you will not hear from him again. But if you want to be with him, then he has sent us to bring you to him."

"Go to him. Leave Faeland?" Now she seemed confused.

"He can't come here," Snow reminded her gently. "If you want to be with him, you must go to him."

"How do I know you come from him?" Astrid asked, not quite believing these visitors.

"Here," Snow handed Astrid her necklace.

Astrid examined it. "This came from him?"

Snow nodded.

"I recognize it!" Astrid exclaimed. "This is his family's emblem! A blue-green dragon with yellow eyes is their guardian dragon."

Gold looked up at this description. He repeated what Astrid had just told him, "A blue-green dragon with yellow eyes. I know her." He seemed impressed. "Pretty powerful old girl. Didn't know Leroy's family had that much prestige."

"He gave this to you to give to me?" Astrid seemed confused and concerned.

"Yes, dear," Snow assured her. "He said you are free to keep it and send us away or give it back and send us away. But he hopes you will accept it and come with us."

"You can get me to him safely? We tried to be together before, but the Reul Ghorm forbade it."

"We can get you to him safely," Gold assured her.

Astrid stood a moment debating with herself. "I can stay here and forever be a maidservant to the Reul Ghorm or I can go and be with the love of my life." She looked at the group, and her face broke into a smile, "I choose love! I will go with you."

"Great," Gold responded, obviously relieved at this turn of events. "Ruby, you and Snow get her back to the transport ship. Send in the Hatter when you go by him. Emma and I will delay the Reul Ghorm. If we aren't back at the ship in thirty minutes, leave without us. We won't be joining you."

Ruby and Snow nodded and escorted the excited Fae out of the space yacht.

Gold and Emma settled in to wait for the Reul Ghorm. Jefferson joined them and sat in the back of the room.

It was a while before they heard someone coming. Someone called out for Astrid. When there was no answer, the door to the conference room opened slowly.

Emma was surprised at the youthful appearance of the Reul Ghorm. Emma knew that the leader of the Fae was old, perhaps as old, perhaps even older than Dr. Gold. But she looked like a woman in her prime, smooth skinned, beautiful. Pale skin, dark hair, dressed in blue.

When she opened the door, she looked around, assessing the situation: three strangers, one obviously armed, and no Astrid. Before she could react further, Emma moved to stand next to her and opened her pendent, the last of the necklaces. A purple smoke rose out of the small vial and the Reul Ghorm sank to her knees and then dropped to the floor.

"She should be out for a couple of hours," said Gold. "Hatter, help me dispose of her. We'll put her with the guard." Then suddenly, he said, "No, wait." He walked towards the crumpled body of the powerful Fae leader.

He bent down and gently caressed her hair. "This creature and I have crossed swords for several centuries. Almost always, she has won."

_He had awakened in hell. He remembered only his name but nothing else from his original life, if there had been any life before the torment. He was tortured daily for hours, hot, cold, sharp, blunt, and loud. But they never asked him any questions._

_He. . . he felt himself going mad. What had he done, what had he done? It was after one particularly grueling session, when his tormentors had combined loud with cold, that he felt energy rising up within himself and he made everything stop. The noise stopped, the ice went away, the creatures around him stopped moving. The chains anchoring his body to a table broke. He literally rose from the table, floating above it, floating above the creatures who had been tormenting him. He thought he had finally died, that he was transcending his body, finally, finally released from torture._

_Then it was like everything exploded. He killed the creatures who had been hurting him. It took him a moment to realize he was actually alive, really alive. He floated back down and got to his feet. He walked out of the hell that had been his home for so long. He pushed away everyone who tried to stop him. He walked out into sunlight and he kept walking._

_He don't know what he had looked like before, but he remembered being surprised that his skin was green. He remembering thinking how very cold it now seemed. He kept walking until he found a star ship. He didn't know how, but he knew he would be able to power it. He had an enormous bank of knowledge, so much information that he had no idea of how or when he had learned. He left the planet. _

Gold had paused a moment, before continuing, "She is far more ruthless and manipulative that I have ever been. And she has caused much more pain and grief than I ever have." He traced a finger down her face. "I could end it. Just a quick twist, I could break her neck. Take her out of the game. Permanently." He had both of his hands on her head.

"Gold, don't do this," Emma told him. "A knocked out Reul Ghorm is one thing, but a murdered one will pull down this entire quadrant on our asses."

He pulled his hands back. He looked up at Emma and she was startled. His normally soft brown eyes had turned a milky white. "Emma, you don't know what she has done. You don't even know that you have been touched by her, as has Jefferson. She and her people do 'experiments' on people. Terrible, horrible experiments."

Emma was taken aback. "You're right, I don't know about that. But I do know that you can't use her behavior to excuse your own. You need to do the right thing. And killing her in cold blood is not the right thing," Emma responded.

"Now you sound like Belle," Gold told her, his eyes slowly returning to their usual brown. "I think, if you ever found out what she has done to you, you might feel differently." He shrugged. "All right then," he stood and then paused again. "At least, I have got to let her know it was me. That I was here." He looked at Emma. "Let me have your necklace."

Emma pulled the chain supporting the small potion bottle over her head. Gold gently touched it, turning it to gold, the chain and the bottle. He then put it over the Reul Ghorm's head.

He smiled at Emma. "She'll figure it out." He then stood again. "Come on Hatter. Let's put her with the guard." And the two lifted up her body and carried her out of the ship.

Once they had exited, left along on the ship, Emma opened the door the Reul Ghorm had passed through earlier. It went on into the center of the ship, right into the control room.

It was only a matter of moments when Gold joined her in the control room.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Emma asked him, tracing her hands over the control panel.

Gold turned and looked her up and down, taking in her skimpy costume and the generous amount of skin she was showing. "Depends. Are you thinking how it would feel to be on your back and have your ankles resting on my shoulders?"

Emma glared at him, rolling her eyes, "Oh god, no."

"Then perhaps you're thinking we should steal this ship."

Emma nodded, "Yes, the ship, not the ankles." She added, "Perv."

"Prude," he responded absently.

Emma began checking out the controls. "Jackass. I should be able to start this. I spent enough time when I was younger boosting a variety of vehicles." Her eyes lit on something on the control panel. "But sweeeet, in this case, they left the keys in the ignition. Piece of cake."

"Harpy," Gold responded. "So you can get it going and we can get out of here. Let me contact Snow and let them know to go ahead and liftoff. No need for them to wait any longer." He began to work on the communications panel.

"Deviant," Emma said. "Sounds good. Is Jefferson on board?"

"I am," Jefferson had made his way into the control room. Both men stood by while Emma started up the vehicle and began lift off. Gold was successful in contacting the transport ship and had been notified that they were making their way off the planet with the little Fae.

"Oh shit!" they heard Emma say.

"Are you still calling me names or is there a problem?" asked Gold.

"There's a problem and I haven't finished calling you names, lech," Emma responded.

"What's wrong, shrew?"

She pointed to the power grid which showed only a low level of energy. "This is how they keep the ship bound to Faeland. It is supposed to be powered by three Sugar Diamonds. There's only one in the engines right now. It'll get the ship around on the planet, but she'll never make interstellar space without two more Diamonds."

"Is that all?" Gold asked. He turned to Jefferson. "I need two more of the diamonds that you still have."

"Oh come on now, you've already made me hand everything over!" Jefferson threw up his hands and protested.

Gold held out his hand. "This is our lives, Hatter. Hand me over two." He was adamant.

Reluctantly, but seeing no alternative, the Hatter reached deep into one of his inside pockets and withdrew two large raw diamonds.

Gold held one of the diamonds up. "You have a good eye, Jefferson. This one is a beauty." He held it in his hand, closed his fingers over it and concentrated. When he opened his hand, there was now a large, white sparkling crystal. "Here's one," he handed it off to Jefferson. He then subjected the second diamond to the same treatment and handed off the second crystal to the astonished Jefferson.

"If you can manage to put these into the engines, Hatter, we'll be in business."

"You made these with. . . what? Magic?" Jefferson asked, awestruck.

Gold nodded. "Yeah. Alchemy. I was the one who invented the damn things long ago and I have since been trying to do with science what I could do with my mind."

"But you could rule the galaxy with that power."

"That power and several other skills that I have. But it wouldn't have been right. Now go on and let's get this ship powered up before the Fae are able to stop us."

Jefferson nodded and disappeared from the control room.

Emma was looking at Gold. "I really do need to start treating you with more respect," she said.

"Princess, I've been saying that," Gold told her. He looked her over again. "I'm not seeing new bruises. Is the Hatter treating you better?"

"He's not beating me or knocking me around, if that's what you're asking," Emma told him.

"Is he still keeping you in his bed?" Gold questioned her, "Putting your ankles on his shoulders?"

Emma did not respond immediately. In a small voice, focusing her attention on the power grid, he barely heard her answer, "No, we have another arrangement for right now."

"You know, I think, if Belle wasn't in my life or if she were more open-minded, I would likely be pursuing you. I think we would be good together."

Emma felt herself growing warm.

"I know women like you, Emma. You fight a man every step of the way and then, when you've made him push you and push you, you just melt. It's a nice feeling to have a woman like that just dissolve for you. I could make you. . ."he leaned forward and whispered something, causing her to blush and pull away from him.

"You are making me very uncomfortable and Jefferson has got one of the Diamonds into the power grid. Please, stop."

Gold leaned back in the co-pilot's chair. "Very well, dear. Let me know once, what did you call him? Jefferson? when he has gotten the third crystal in. I will need privacy to make a couple of out-calls." He closed his eyes and, if she didn't know the man never slept, she would have thought he had gone to sleep.

It was only a moment. "The third crystal's in."

"Then get us out of here, Lieutenant Commander Swan. Get us out of here." He ordered.

Emma complied.

He had her leave the control room before making his calls. He closed his eyes.

_It was time. Again It was time for Rumpelstiltskin._

+ + + + + _Reunion_

Leroy and Astrid's reunion brought tears to Snow's eyes. They were obviously so much in love. They wanted a formal ceremony immediately, so, as captains, Snow and Nolen shared the honors. They were on their way back to Dragondwell. Gold had left Nolen with precise orders of what gems he wanted from the miners and what they were to do next after picking up his gems. Leroy was most content to agree with everything that Ryu had requested

+ + + + + _Under a Spell_

"Well, well, well," Belle heard a smug, self-satisfied voice coming up behind her. Belle was helping in the kitchen using one of her new found skills, kneading bread. She knew without turning around that it was Regina, Herself, come to the kitchen.

"I see that Granny put you to hard labor," she said, coming up along side Belle.

"I asked her to help me learn to cook," Belle said cheerily. "Would you like me to make you something special?" she asked guilelessly.

"Not hardly," Regina responded, stepping back. "I just wanted to be sure that Granny was treating you all right," Regina said smoothly. "Captain Dark would not be happy if you were not treated well."

"Granny has been wonderful. How about I make you an apple pie?" persisted Belle.

"I don't think so." Regina walked around the table that Belle was using as her work surface. "You seem rather sure that he'll be coming back."

"Yes, I am," _She wasn't. _"He's never lied to me yet."

Regina pounced, "Really? He's told you about that deal he had with your father."

Belle was surprised, "What deal?" she found herself asking.

Regina was purring, "You know the story of how he spun straw into gold during his first year at that science school place he went to? That it was to win a bet he had with six upperclassmen?"

"Yes, I have heard the story," Belle said cautiously.

"Did you know that your father was one of The Six?"

Belle's mouth fell open. _No, she had not realized this._

Regina could see that she had scored a hit. "Yes, apparently the first of The Six reneged on the bet when the Dark One asked him to pay up. Soon after, your father also refused to pay up. The Dark One was furious. The first of the six died under mysterious circumstances. Of course there was no proof that the Dark One had killed him; it was just an unpleasant, unfortunate coincidence." Regina was smiling, knowing that she had Belle's complete attention. "Your father got nervous, very nervous, and went to the Dark One to try to re-negotiate the deal. The Dark One told him that he wasn't planning on killing him, but that he would take his first born. Your father apparently was frantic and continued to plead with him and, I think rather surprisingly, the Dark One told him he would wait before taking the child, giving your father some time with, well I guess it was you, before the Dark One would collect."

"So this means?" Belle wasn't entirely sure.

"You're under one of his spells, my dear. You're being compelled, probably without even being aware of it. You're being controlled by his magic," Regina hesitated. "You didn't realize that?" she asked innocently. "Oh," she went on. "I've seen him do this before, put some pretty, naïve girl under one his spells. She usually thinks she's fallen in love with him, and thinks she can make him fall in love with her." Regina shook her head. "Sad, so sad."

Regina stood a moment, letting her words sink in. "Aren't you supposed to be kneading the bread or something?" she finally asked.

Belle managed a weak smile. "Yes. Let me get back to work."

Regina was smiling when she walked away.

_Under a spell. What did that even mean? Belle had not believed in magic before meeting Gold. She knew it was actually some type of unheard of alien ability to manipulate time and space. She'd seen him unlock their shackles with his mind. She'd seen him heal Emma. She'd seen him explode mirrors. She knew he was capable of moving objects, including himself with his mind alone. Could he cast spells? What would that be like? Was that why when she had told him about her feelings that he had pushed her away, that he knew they weren't real? What if he had real feelings for her and felt badly or embarrassed when she confessed her manufactured ones? But what if Regina was lying about this? _

Belle's head was hurting. She made herself finish, focusing on the bread and then went in search of Granny. She had known Gold longer than anyone else and Gold seemed to have trusted her. Maybe she would know the truth.

+ + + + + _Tepid Water_

Emma, Jefferson and Gold sat in the comfortable control room of the space yacht.

Jefferson had to ask her, "How did you know it would work?"

She shook her head, "You never know if it will work. But given everything I had heard about the Fae, I figured they were a self-important lot, believing after all this time of reigning supreme, that no one would have the audacity for a frontal attack. You get smug, you get slack."

Jefferson was enthralled, "You are amazing. I am continually impressed by you, Emma."

She looked at him, "Yeah," she said, shrugged and got up. "Well, I'm tired of just sitting here. I'm going to do some exploring."

The two men watched her leave. She was still in the slutty costume that Ruby had put her in and it was interesting to watch her walk away.

"It appears that she has put you on a leash," observed Gold.

"We made a bargain. I won't touch her again unless she tells me it's all right to do so," Jefferson told him.

"Interesting. I had a similar bargain with Belle."

"How long did it take?" Jefferson was anxious to hear.

"Belle agreed to touching and kissing within a very short time, maybe a couple of weeks. The bedding part has taken a little longer and we've actually not . . . uh. . . done anything yet."

"Why not?" Jefferson asked, surprised. "You had her in your power at the castle and if she was agreeable, what were you waiting on?"

Gold smiled at the younger wizard. "Because it isn't perfect yet." He stretched out in the chair. "You know if you put a frog into boiling water, they will jump out. But if you put one into tepid water and then very, very slowly turn up the heat it will cook before it ever becomes aware that the heat has been turned up. I'm very, very slowly turning up the heat." He gave Jefferson a side long glance, "Before she's even aware, Belle will be in very hot water and all mine to enjoy."

"I don't know that I will have the opportunity to do that with Emma. We had a. . .bad start."

"I believe that is quite the understatement," Gold told him. "But I think you will have a better chance with her going slowly and letting her decide if, when and where than you would were you to force her again. Right now, I think there is a good chance if you were to cross her, that you would wake up with a knife in your chest."

_NEXT: Granny explains it all_

_ Regina and Gold negotiate_

_ Betrayals_

**A.N. The five methods of torture come from the _Angel_ episode _Five by Five_.**

**Sorry if this chapter was too long, but there wasn't another good stopping place. **

**A special thank you to my reviewers, MyraValhallah, Coil way and claire. And an extra special thank you to Notsureyet18 (who asked about a possible showdown between the Ruel Ghorm and Gold and triggered an entire gush of a storyline including some motivations, yikes!), Jaybird6. (who had to ask how Belle and Regina would get on now that Gold is absent and I had to include this) and to PrincessTiannah (to whom I owe a nod for her _Gold's Angels_ story - which apparently stuck in my subconscious and emerged in a somewhat altered form in this story, but close enough that I felt a need to give credit). txm**


	11. Granny Explains Some Things

**Sorry, this one got delayed a bit – I have gotten corralled into working on Dragoncon costumes at the ninth hour (and I'm not even going). Augh!**

+ + + + + _Granny Explains Things_

"Oh he is, or at least was, very powerful, child. I've seen him actually change people into bugs and then just step on them. Only the Fae have similar levels of power. And he used to have such a temper, although that seems to have mellowed," Granny was sharing what she knew about the inexplicable Dr. Gold, aka The Dark One. Granny poured them both cups of tea and she sat down by Belle.

"I was a young girl when all this was happening, mind you. I knew enough to stay out of the man's sight. It didn't work out well to call attention to yourself during those times." Granny sat quietly a moment, sifting through her memories. "I remember, I remember, someone once asked him if there was anything he couldn't do."

"And he said?" Belle asked.

"Yes, he said he couldn't bring back the dead and he said he hadn't yet found a way to make people fall in love."

"So there's no 'love spell'?" Belle asked.

Granny shook her head. "Don't think so. Unless he's managed to make one up since." Granny looked at her closely. "Oh sweetie, are you in love with him?"

Belle nodded her head. "I didn't mean to fall in love with him. He's quite impossible. He's arrogant, insufferable. . . . I sometimes just want to throttle the man. But then, he looks at me with those big, brown eyes and says something so kind and so sweet and I just forgive him."

Granny nodded, "He is quite a man, sweetie. A very smart man, a very powerful man, a very charming man. . . when he wants to be. He's certainly used to getting his way." Granny paused for a moment. "I saw Regina down here talking with you. Did she say something to upset you?"

Belle felt tears welling up. "Yes," she sniffed them back. "She told me my father had given me up to Gold, uh, Captain Dark, when my father had failed to come through on a debt. And. . . and I am under a spell and my feelings aren't really my feelings." It all poured out.

"That bitch," observed Granny. "I don't know what happened between the Captain and your father, but I can promise you, you aren't operating under any spell."

"You don't think so?"

"Absolutely not. He used to put a, oh, what did he call it? a glamour? over himself and then some naïve young women would be mesmerized by him, but it wasn't the same thing as love. It was like they were sleep walking or on some type of drug. They would be very compliant and cooperative but there was no spirit left in them. I've seen these girls who had been placed under one of these glamours and for them, oh, he could do no wrong. They would never complain about him, never get angry with him, never would they say, 'I didn't mean to fall in love with him'. They would never want to throttle him, no matter what he did or how much he deserved it."

Belle felt her heart leap. _If what Granny was telling her was correct, she wasn't under any 'love spell.' She had no problems getting angry with the man._

+ + + + + _Negotiation_

The Fae space yacht had made it back to the pirate world more quickly than anyone might have anticipated, easily beating _The Prince, _with its additional errand of dropping off Leroy the Miner and his new bride Astrid the Fae on Dragondwell_, _back to the home world. It was indeed a sleek, fast ship. Gold began negotiating with Queen Regina from on board the yacht.

He had insisted on first talking with Belle to hear from her that she was all right. He had thought Belle sounded strained, but she had assured him she had been treated well. She still looked beautiful and he realized just how terribly much he had missed her. How much he wanted her.

Then he wanted to talk with Granny to see if she was telling the same story about Belle's welfare that Belle had shared with him. Once satisfied that Regina was not mistreating his little librarian. Gold began to negotiate with Regina.

"I can give you raw diamonds if you want them, but I have something more to offer you."

"Go on, Dark. What can you give me?" Regina was clad as ever in one of her long dark gowns, looking perfect, with no lingering signs of Emma's beating.

"I can give you a four hundred Sugar Diamonds," he offered her.

He could hear Regina gasp. She knew this was an enormous fortune. She almost accepted it. But then, he suspected, she began to wonder. _Where was he getting all those Diamonds from?_

"That's very generous, Dark." _Yes, she was speculating._ "But I suspect you have even more to offer me."

Gold hesitated . . . for effect, as if he didn't want to play his last card. "I can give you the formula for making them. You already have the equipment."

"The formula! You perfected it then." She was thrilled. She would be rich beyond her wildest dreams. She would control the entire sector, the region, the quadrant of the galaxy. Her power would be second to no one.

"That I will take, sir," she agreed.

"Well, now comes the truly difficult part. How do we make the exchange? We don't trust each other, so we have some problems with how to do this."

"What do you suggest?" Regina asked. She didn't care as long as she got the formula.

"There's a very ordinary planet nearby, named Storyrealm. I'm going to suggest we meet in an area named Brooke. There's a large center square and in it there's a large covered well. You bring the equipment in my lab and set it up next to the well. You can select whoever you will and I will give them the formula. They can follow it, in front of you, and make the first Sugar Diamond. But you will also have Granny escort Belle to the center square next to the well to wait while this is being accomplished. Once you are satisfied, Belle can come with me. You can take the formula and the equipment."

"Agreed, I'll meet you there in what, two days time, at standard noon?"

"Done." Gold sat back. _The others should be there by then._ _He had gotten all his messages out and there had been replies. All affirmatives. _

+ + + + + _Not a Bluff_

The exchange itself had gone off as peacefully as he could have hoped. _The Prince _was there and hanging back from Regina's flagship, _The Castle_. Snow, Nolen, Ruby, and Hopper were there on the ground as observers, armed observers.

After Gold had left the formula on the well, next to the equipment Regina had set up, he had stepped back. Granny had escorted Belle to the well. Regina took the formula and she, herself, following the directions, using a raw sapphire, was guided by the formula to making a Sugar Diamond. As soon as the Diamond formed, Belle broke away from the older woman and she ran to Gold, reaching out to him, and then she was in his arms, holding him closely, her eyes shining. He held her nestled next to him, pulling her to one side and then back so that he placed his body between hers and Regina, as if he was expecting some last spiteful barb to come Belle's way. Holding Belle again was nice, very nice.

Gold then asked Granny to stay on with Snow's people and she had agreed, going with them as they all returned to _The Prince_.

Gold had left Regina with the equipment, the formula and for good measure, he had scattered half a dozen raw sapphires on the ground for her to pick up.

He had then taken Belle back to the yacht where Jefferson and Emma were waiting.

They were back in space. This was when he had anticipated things would get difficult.

"Emma," he talked with his pilot. "Be careful. She's likely going to try something."

It came soon enough. A shot was fired across their bow.

Regina's voice came over the com. "You may as well stop, Dark. I want to take you and Belle back with me. I think you have a hundred such formulae in your brain and having Belle as my prisoner will keep you working on them

"I would advise you to go on home, dearie. You've got enough to make you very wealthy," he responded. "There are eight ships bearing down on you right now and if you fire another shot, they are likely to all fire on you."

"Eight ships! I hardly think so," what did he mean by giving her such a transparent bluff?

"Eight ships. _The Grimm_, _The Prince_ and six ships sent from an old friend, Alan George, who owes me a favor from back in my, uh, college days. He happens to be the ruler of Dale and was more than happy to repay his favor with the temporary loan of these vessels."

_Gold had sent a message out to The Grimm to meet them at the appointed time and place. He had then called in his Sixth Favor, using the code word Rumpelstilkskin. He had gotten an immediate affirmative response. There was too much history between himself and The Six for King George to ever consider refusing him. The short-term loan of six vessels was easy payback and Alan George had grabbed for it. _

Emma didn't know. She was shaking her head, "This isn't a good bluff, Dr. Gold. Nobody has the resources to pull down eight ships. Two maybe, three, but not eight."

He glanced at Emma. "This isn't a bluff."

It was the last thing Emma heard him say. There was a flash of light and Emma realized that their vessel had been struck. She went down.

+ + + + + _Searching_

From Snow and Nolan's perspective on _The Prince_, it appeared that Regina's ship fired on and hit the little space yacht. As per Dr. Gold's last order, they gave the order to fire on Regina's ship. _The Grimm_ was off to one side of them and, operating under the guidance of August Booth, and at Gold's previously made request, it also fired. Snow saw additional starships materializing and firing on Regina's ship. She counted at least four other big ships, maybe more. There was a lot of chaos. All ships were firing on Regina's ship. The next thing they saw from _The Prince_ was a fireball billowing out from where _The Castle_ had been. It filled the viewing screen and, shortly after, there were shock waves rocking her own ship. Snow could make out tiny escape pods shooting out from the fireball, but there was no sign of the space yacht.

They searched. And searched. They went after the escape pods to rescue as many survivors as they could. They continued the search. Regina had not turned up among these folks. They looked for signs of the yacht, including considering shards and remnants of metal. Nothing. They still searched.

They remained for a week, searching. Snow and Nolen, still on _The Prince_ and now accompanied by _The Grimm_, finally returned to the pirate world, feeling emptied, defeated, despondent. Not only had they lost Dr. Gold, Emma and Belle, along with the Hatter and the remarkable little space yacht, they had also lost the formula for Sugar Diamonds.

+ + + + + _Changes_

Snow and Ruby were sitting in the Great Hall. It had been ten days since _The Castle _had been obliterated and the little space yacht had disappeared in the great fireball. Snow had already begun making some changes on her home world which she hoped were for the better. She didn't want her world to continue to be 'the pirate world.' She was hoping they could begin doing legitimate business.

One of the first things Snow had done was to let Nolen know that he was free to go. She let him know that pirating would no longer be condoned. She was going to work out a deal with Dragondwell to transport their gems to other worlds. She thought they might be able to get an exclusive contract because of their assistance with Astrid.

"Importing and exporting," Nolen had said, approvingly. "You've got the ships, the experienced crews. You certainly know your way around the quadrant. I assume our paths will cross frequently now."

Snow agreed, unable to meet his eyes. _This was heartbreaking. She felt like she had found the love of her life and now he was just walking away from her. _She reluctantly had said goodbye to him.

Nolen had also hesitated, "Snow, I will miss you. I will miss you every day. We will have to stay in touch, make a special effort to see each other. Would you like that?"

She smiled shyly. She tried to be flippant, "Charming, always so charming. Yes, I'd like that very much."

+ + + + + _Memories_

And now it had been a couple more days, and Snow realized that she missed Nolen terribly. She was trying to lose herself in her work, but all the memories of their time together kept intruding. And she missed the Hatter, despite his unpredictable behavior. He had been her friend when she had had none.

She was getting herself a quiet meal in one of the town's small cafes. Little businesses were beginning to poke their heads up. She had given Granny a loan to start her own little diner and it had fast become The Place to get a good meal. Snow looked up and saw Ruby and Dr. Hopper coming in. He had resigned his commission and had decided to stay with Ruby, to stay on the pirate world. They were an odd couple, but seemed to have so much fun together. They seemed happy. Snow was helping to fund a clinic for Dr. Hopper and doing her best to secure supplies and, eventually, a support staff for the man.

Ruby had seen her. "I've decided to make a commitment," Ruby announced proudly. "It was actually easy when it came down to it. I've never been happier than I've been with Archie. We're going to build a hospital."

"A teaching hospital," Archie corrected her. "I don't want to be the only doctor in this area."

"Your commitment, is it to Archie or the hospital?" Snow had had to ask.

"Yes," Ruby answered happily. Snow congratulated the happy couple and was genuinely glad for Ruby and Archie. But she couldn't help but feel sorry for herself. Her situation was so hopeless. And there was no sign that things would change.

Another few days went, what was it now? Nearly three weeks since _The Castle_ had been destroyed. Snow got the notice that search and recovery efforts had been officially called off. She then got the notice from Nolen for herself, Ruby and Hopper to come aboard _The Grimm_. She had such mixed feelings. She knew this was to be a memorial service for _The Grimm_'s lost crew members, Graham, Emma, Belle, with a special mention of Dr. Gold. And she would get to see Nolen again. But she would have to see Nolen again. Then she would have to walk away again. She selected a conservative, simple black dress to wear and somberly rode the transport ship with Ruby and Hopper.

They were stopped coming on board and all their weapons confiscated. They were then taken to a large room set up with rows of chairs. Nolen was to address the crowd to talk about the deceased. Snow didn't know these people well, but saw many people on board _The_ _Grimm_ openly crying during the short service. Nolan spoke briefly and flatteringly about the departed, telling quick stories about each one of those that had passed.

It was going more easily than she thought it would go. She and Nolen seemed immediately at ease with each other, but it was hard for her not to stare at him. She would often catch him looking at her. _Was he having the same feelings? _"That was very nice," Snow told him after the service. "You spoke like you knew each of those people very well."

"I did. I was closest to Emma, like she was my little sister or my grownup daughter. So feisty and strong and brave. Gold was a pain in the butt, a constant thorn in my side, but brilliant and inventive. He'll certainly be missed. And Belle, well I was only just beginning to get to know her. But she was steady and sweet and hardworking. . . and one of Emma's best friends." Nolan responded. "Tell me about The Hatter." he directed Snow.

Greatful for the opportunity, Snow shared, "He was like my brother. He'd been horribly mistreated when he was younger and had a odd, unbalanced streak. You saw him at his worst, I think. But he was also generous and often thinking of others. I absolutely trusted him. He was one of my oldest friends."

Nolen listened, nodding as Snow talked. He then motioned for her and Ruby to come with him, taking them into a small conference room in one of the side corridors. He was very hesitant and paused before speaking his next piece. "I have a distasteful task to do next."

"Worse than a funeral service?" asked Snow.

"Not worse, but different." Nolan continued to be very hesitant, a side of him that Snow had never seen during her brief time with the man. He took a deep breath, "I am arresting you two for piracy and kidnapping."

Ruby and Snow both were astonished, "What?!"

He seemed pained, "It's my job. Understand. Please."

Snow felt tears coming into her eyes. Ruby was just pissed, "So this is why you took our weapons? You knew this was coming!"

"You'd arrest me after all the help that I gave you and Belle and Dr. Gold. After you and I. . ." Snow couldn't finish. She had thought their time together was special and pure but now she felt dirty and used.

"I have some other options you may be interested in," Nolen said slowly.

"Go on," Ruby told him. Ruby sensed there was something up. Snow had tears running down her face, which she kept wiping away. She couldn't, wouldn't look at him.

"Ruby, if you will agree to take command of _The Prince_ and help us root out continuing pockets of piracy, I can make my report read that you were part of an original plan to take out the pirates. I don't think it will take you away from Hopper for too long or too often and there might be some financial remuneration that would help you with that hospital you two want to build."

"Well," Ruby began. "Maybe. What are you offering White?"

"Oh," Nolen turned towards the pretty former ship's captain. He came towards her and knelt in front of her.

_What was he doing?_

"Would you consider, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife, Snow White?" he asked her.

Snow was stunned. She just sat there.

"Say yes, say yes," Ruby told her. "This is the man of your dreams. You told me that. Marry him. Be happy."

"I'm the man of your dreams?" Nolen asked Snow, unable to help hearing what Ruby was telling her.

"You are," she admitted. "But, are you sure? We really don't know each other very well."

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life. If I'm the man of your dreams, my dear, well, you are the woman that haunts my every waking moment. I can't imagine going on with my life without you. I have loved you since the first moment I saw you. I haven't stopped thinking about you since we first met. I am so deeply in love with you, Snow White. Say yes, say yes."

Snow started to cry, sobbing as if her heart had broken. She was shaking her head.

"No," she finally was able to reply. "I can't. I can't accept."

"What's wrong?" Nolen asked her. He had not expected his proposal to be met with tears of despair.

"This is so not fair," she blubbered out and got up to leave the starship captain. She was stopped at the door.

He couldn't look at her. "Sorry, Snow, but you are still under arrest." He gestured to the guards for them to lead her away. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to lock you up."

Ruby watched the scene. It was painful. Nolen heard her murmur. "This is my best friend. I have no idea what the problem is Captain Nolen. I thought she was in love with you. I thought she was crazy in love with you."

"I did too," he answered, deeply saddened, deeply confused by Snow's refusal.

+ + + + + _Interesting Telemetry_

"We're getting some interesting telemetry." It had been a little more than three weeks since the confrontation with Regina. Lieutenant Commander Booth, recently promoted and now serving as Bridge crew, having taken Graham's place, was sitting at a communications controller. "I'm not sure what it is, but it looks like some type of chemical formula."

Captain Nolen got up to look at it. "This is coming in to just us?" he asked.

"No sir. It's going out to everyone who has a receiver."

Nolen didn't want to say anything until he could get a confirmation.

What was pouring in did look like a chemical formula. Gold's formula? There were only two people who had ever seen his formula, Queen Regina who was presumed dead and Dr. Gold, who was presumed dead. One of them wasn't dead and was making the formula public knowledge. _David Nolen had no question. It had to be Gold. And if he were alive, then there was a good chance that both Emma and Belle were alive._

"Where is this coming from?" he asked Booth. Booth did some calculations.

"As best that I can tell, some point beyond Dragondwell. It's an area not well explored." He paused, "OK, it looks like someone just took credit. It's a Mister Green."

"Green?" Nolan was stunned, but then began to smile. _That sonabitch was alive! _"Keep every dot and every dash. This formula is going to be useful," he told Booth.

_NEXT: In what may be the end of this story arc, at least some of our characters find some measure of happiness._

**As always thank you, thank you to my wonderful, insightful and helpful reviewers Loop, Coil way, tigger64, Jaybird6, (the anonymous) Guest, thedoctorsgirl42, PrincessTiannah and Notsureyet18. txm**


	12. Surviving

+ + + + + _Surviving_

They had survived the blast when Gold threw up a shield around them. Emma had been knocked out with the first blast and crumbled on the floor of the control room. Gold manage to shield the entire little space yacht against the intense fireball that engulfed them but the energy that he had needed to maintain the shield against the continued onslaught of concentrated energy had exhausted him. He, too, had eventually slipped out of consciousness, collapsing next to Emma on the floor in the control room. Between Jefferson and Belle, although neither of them were pilots, they had been able to navigate away from the battlefront, slipping away in their small ship amidst all the debris, flying away from the battle scene. They then devoted their efforts to taking care of their respective, prospective mates.

Emma had regained consciousness first, more or less. Jefferson had been holding her hand and bathing her forehead with a cool damp rag. He immediately offered to get her anything, anything she wanted.

"I was afraid I had lost you," he told her. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

"You'd've recovered," Emma assured him, slurring her speech. "Wow, my head hurts. My body hurts. This is worse than when you hit me with that damn tranquillizer." She was still only semi-conscious.

"I'm so sorry, Emma," Jefferson told her. "I'm so sorry for everything. For kidnapping you, for. . .hurting you, for involving you in all this."

"What?" she was struggling to process what he was saying. She waved him off. "Oh hell, right now, I'm having the time of my life," she confessed, her eyes still not quite focusing. "I'm traveling with two of the most exciting men I've ever met. Doing all kinds of exciting crap. Man, this is exciting. If I died today, I'd go out saying, 'What a ride!'."

Jefferson didn't respond, just continued to hold her hand.

Emma was rambling, "You know you're pretty creepy, what with the switchblade and the kinky shit you're into." She attempted to focus her eyes on him, "Hey, maybe you'll let me tie you up sometime, hang you up by your wrists, and cut the clothes off your body." She pointed her finger at him and giggled, "Man, there are some things I could do with ice on your privates that might make us even."

"Anytime, my sweet, anytime," he answered her, smiling _and hoping that she wasn't really serious_.

+ + + + + _Connecting_

Gold remained comatose much longer than Emma and all three of his companions began to worry about him. Seriously worry.

Belle never left his bedside except to use a hygiene facility. She kept the room stiffling hot and had stripped down to minimal clothing to maintain her own comfort level. Most days found her in a tank top, shorty shorts and barefoot. She had twisted her hair up on top of her head to get it off her neck. She was regularly wiping sweat off her neck and shoulders. She was sitting next to him when he finally began to stir. It had been nearly a week. Jefferson had located some medical supplies on the yacht and had gotten Gold hooked up to an IV to keep him hydrated. "I'm guessing a basic saline solution is safe for him. His blood isn't exactly red," Jefferson told Belle while getting the equipment set up. "Keep an eye on him, we don't want to hurt him."

It was after about ten days when Gold managed to open his eyes, struggling to determine where he was. His eyes lit on Belle. "Did we survive?" he asked her, barely able to talk.

"We did. You saved us." she told him.

"I did? I guess I overextended myself." He tried to sit up, befuddled by finding himself hooked up with tubing running into his arm. "I haven't done anything like that in a long time." He pulled out the IV needle despite Belle's protests. He was weak as a kitten, but kept going primarily by will and grit.

So Belle began funneling fluids into the man, then soft foods. Fortunately the galley was well stocked and they were in no immediate danger of running out of essential supplies. Gold seemed to have a superhuman, almost magical, capacity for recovery and was, within a day, already back up and moving around. He almost immediately began complaining about the food, so Belle knew he was beginning to feel better. Belle was fussing around him, trying to get him to take it easy when he caught her by the wrist.

"You gave Gold permission to touch you and kiss you. I want permission to do more, as Gold mind you, not as Captain Dark. After that little action in the lab, I am thinking that you are a wild woman. I've never had a woman do that for me."

"You've never had a woman go down on you?" Belle was astonished.

"Of course I have. I've just never had a woman surprise me like you did." He was suddenly quite serious, "You know, I never expected you to do anything like that. It was going to be just a little pretense for Regina's benefit. But you, well, you managed quite well, a very accomplished performance. I was not expecting that behavior from some prissy little librarian." He was nearly grinning at her. "Now are you going to give me, Gold, the permission to have you?" he was insistent.

"Of course I am, you idiot," Belle was laughing and thoroughly enjoying herself. "Although I think I shall be irritated at you calling me prissy."

Gold responded by dragging her down to sit by him on the bed, kissing her and beginning to undressing her, which, given the hot-weather wear she was sporting, was not an overly demanding task.

"You are not well enough for this kind of activity," she protested, despite her enjoyment of his attentions.

"Belle, you don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine and this will make me feel even better." He lay back and pulled her down on top of him.

She continued to protest, although with him still pressing kisses on her and fondling her, she was having increasing difficulties talking. "I'm not on any type of birth control," she blurted out.

He did stop then. "You mean I could get you pregnant?"

"Uh huh," she answered, her eyes wide.

He smiled at her and rolled her over so that he was now lying on top of her. "Would that be so bad?" he asked her. And he began to kiss her again, her mouth, her cheeks, her ears, her neck, the delicate point where her neck met her shoulder.

She was trembling and gasped her reply, "I don't know, we've never talked about it. And I'm supposed to be engaged to another man."

He stopped again, "That was Isobelle French who was engaged. To a man who was dull witted enough to let her walk out of his life. Isobelle French, along with the other passengers on this ship, have likely been declared dead. So that woman no longer exists. That woman is no longer engaged. This woman," he touched her nose, "is somebody else and she's now with a man who will lock her up if she tries to walk out of his life." He kissed her nose. "Would she mind if she had a green-skinned alien's baby?"

His eyes had turned black and she knew he was aroused and dangerously on edge. _This was something very important that he was asking her, that he wanted to know, had to know._

She managed to shake her head in assent. He barely heard her whisper her answer, "She might actually want to have his baby."

He almost lost control. He took a deep breath. _This woman pushed him to his own limits. _"Good," he found he was barely able to respond.

She whispered to him one more time, shyly, urgently, "Please be gentle. It's been awhile since I've done anything like this."

_That idiot fiancé. _

He had wanted, he had wanted so badly to extend their first time together, to make it a thing of beauty that she would remember, that would push her to her limits, that would eclipse every other liaison she'd ever had, that would send her crashing, exploding and riding waves of pleasure. But he was so starved, so deprived, so hungry for her that he struggled to control himself, striving to perform, but not quite remaining the gentle lover she had so sweetly asked for.

Belle surprised him with her eagerness and it was his undoing. She had wanted this for so long, had admitted it to herself and begun to hope for it, long for it, pray for it. She had been so lonely, so isolated, that she found herself clinging to him, holding him to her, relishing his touch, even when he seemed to lose himself in her, roughly taking her, causing her to cry out, startled at his force. He had barely started when she responded wildly, and that caused him to lose the minimal self-control he had been holding over himself.

It was a long moment before they broke apart. Belle seemed reluctant to let him go, laying almost on top of him and wrapping herself around him, resting her head on his shoulder. Her unusual scent, he had decided it was a complex mix of sandalwood, sweet Melissa and sweet Annie, wafted up to him. He would never get tired of it.

"That was too quick," he apologized to her. "And I'm sorry, I had wanted to take my time and I think I was too rough with you. I had wanted your bones to turn to water and your blood to turn to fire, and I think I was only able to give you a taste of sparklers."

Belle pushed up onto her elbows and looked down on him, her eyes narrowing, "You impossible man. Understand this, I've never had from anyone what I just had with you."

"Really?" he was inexplicitly pleased. _Not only had the fiancé been an idiot, but he was also an oaf. _

"Really," she confirmed. "Now if you can do better, I'll be really impressed, but maybe you should rest up a bit before trying again."

"I'm rested up," he told her, trying his best to look innocent.

She had to laugh at him. "You lying imp." She managed to pull herself up and away from him, leaving him lying in the bed. "You rest, I mean it."

She scooped up her clothes and quickly redressed herself. She stood and as she was about to walk away, he grabbed her hand and brought her palm to his mouth. "I'd like to work a little more on this baby thing."

She somehow managed to pull her hand away, repressing the shivers his lips had precipitated when they had connected with her sensitive palm. "Later."

As she was walking away, he called out to her, "My name is Rumplestiltskin."

"What?"

"My name. It's Rumplestiltskin." At her puzzled look, he tried to explain. "I just thought you should know." He felt awkward and had some difficulties explaining, "Not many people know."

"It's a secret?"

"Not really. It's just. . . well. . ." he fumbled. "Not many people know," he finished lamely. "I use it sometime to _connect_ with people."

Belle felt that he had just told her something very important.

_And as she walked away, Gold suddenly realized that he was in very, very hot water and had no idea how he had gotten there. _

+ + + + + _An Old Promise_

Snow had sat in the prison cell on board _The Grimm._ Nolen would frequently come to visit her and he had made sure she had every amenity, except, of course, her freedom.

From the first visit forward, each and every time, he would ask her why she wouldn't marry him.

She had managed to quit crying each and every time he asked that question, but she persisted in shaking her head and refusing him. She had admitted that she loved him. She had admitted that she wanted, more than anything to marry him. But she had not been able to tell him why she wouldn't marry him.

He finally came in on her one day when she had obviously been crying steadily for some time. But her eyes were dry when she turned to face him. He felt his heart squeeze in his own pain.

"Snow," he began. "I can't continue like this. The last thing I want is to do is to cause you pain. I'm going to return you to the pirate world. I'm not sure what I'll do but I'll manage something and I'll make the charges go away. But I still wish you could be honest with me. Please, please tell me what the problem is."

She dropped her head, "You're going to think I'm hopelessly silly and stupid."

"Just tell me. If I could understand why, well, it would help me let go and move on."

"All right," she took a deep breath and began slowly, "My father told me that when he was young, even before he married my mother, a very, very powerful magician came into his court."

"A magician?" David questioned her.

"Not an ordinary magician. A _real_ magician. He was immensely powerful and everyone was frightened of him. He could grant wishes but," Snow shook her head, "they always came with a terrible price. But he didn't ask anything of my father. One day he just came to my father and told him that he was giving away a prophesy. He told my father a secret. He said that my father would have one child, a daughter." Snow swallowed and continued, "and, if she was ever to be truly happy, she would have to marry a prince. I used to promise my dad all the time when I was a little girl that I would only marry a prince. I didn't know what it would mean making such a promise, but even when I got older, he would get me to repeat that promise to him. Only a prince. Only a prince." She looked miserable. "But I don't see how I can ever be happy without you. I don't think I can ever be happy with some prince."

"Is that all it is, Snow?" he had asked her, his own face lighting up. "Snow, oh my sweet girl, if you had only told me, I could have spared us both so much grief, so much pain, so much wasted time. I could have helped you, helped us."

"What now, are you going to tell me that you're some kind of a prince?" she was disbelieving.

He paused for a moment, "Actually yes. I didn't mean to keep it from you, but it's not widely known. King Alan George, the same one that came to Gold's aid when we were fighting Regina, well, he happens to be my father. I went into the service under a different name, David Nolen, because I didn't want special treatment."

Snow's eyes widened. "Then you really are. . . ?"

"A prince. Yeah, 'fraid so." He watched her face go from sorrowful to joyous. "And now, will you marry me?"

This time her response was a big smile.

+ + + + + _Giving it Away_

The four companions had elected to re-christen the ship from whatever it was to _Happy Ever After_. It represented a new start for all four on board.

Belle was sitting next to Gold as he sent out the transmutation formula in a widescreen broadcast to any and all who would receive it. Belle could not have been more proud of him. She thought back over the past, what had it been, nearly three weeks, since the blast.

Everyone would have access to it, he had told them. He wanted it that way.

"I don't understand," Jefferson had talked with him. "You could have made a great fortune with this formula. Why give it away?"

Gold hesitated. "Long story. It's the right thing to do," he responded. "Some time ago, I decided to begin the quest of taking what I could do with magic and began to study how I could do it with science. I've accomplished many things. The Sugar Diamonds were just the latest thing. I didn't do it for personal gain, just to help people."

"Is it true that you can make gold?" Emma asked.

He nodded. "With magic. It's easy. It was one of the first things I learned."

"Can you transmute things into gold with science?" Belle wanted to know, remembering the story Archie had told Emma and her so long ago; the same one that Regina had confirmed.

"I can, but, well, essentially, if I'm going to use science to make 100 credits of gold, I need nearly 500 credits of material. It's not practical."

Taking advantage of Gold's unusual lack of reticence, Jefferson asked, "Why did you become a pirate?"

Gold shrugged. "I needed to get things that my money couldn't buy, so that I could do some of my experiments. It seemed like a good idea at the time." He gave a short laugh. "It didn't work out quite as well as I hoped for. Regina entered the picture and our relationship was. . . complex." He glanced at Belle, almost apologetically. He then added, "But things did eventually work out, leading me to Dragondwell and eventually the Science Academy." He glanced at Belle, "And then eventually to Belle."

Belle had come over to stand by him. "So you're doing these things to help people?"

Gold looked at her and gave her a slight smile. "Surprised?"

Belle smiled back at him, "Not really. I always knew there was more to you than a lecherous charmer."

"A little more, perhaps," he agreed. "Your belief in me has helped. It reminded me of what I set out to do in the first place."

+ + + + + _Simple Confessions_

Belle waited until later in the evening, when they were alone in their shared bedchamber to take a moment to shyly ask Gold about his relationship with her father. "Do you know my father?" she asked him.

Gold closed his eyes a moment before responding, "Regina told you, didn't she? That bitch. She's another one I should really just kill," he said. "What did she tell you?" _No reason to confess any more than he had to._

"I had already heard about your straw into gold bet that you had with The Six. Regina said that my father was one of the six who had made the bet with you to get you to turn straw into gold."_ And what did he mean, 'another one I should really just kill.'?_

"He was," Gold confirmed what she had said aloud.

He didn't say anything else.

So Belle continued, "Then, after you won, my father refused to pay up when you called in the debt."

"He did," Gold again confirmed.

Belle hesitated. "She said that after one of the other participants refused to pay up and then died, my father got scared and tried to renegotiate the debt."

"And he found out that no one breaks a deal with me." Gold's tone was unyielding.

"You told him that you weren't planning on killing him." She had to ask, "Did you kill the first guy?"

Gold dropped his eyes. "It was an unfortunate accident, just a coincidence."

He knew Belle was looking hard at him. "Uh hum," she said neutrally, as if she didn't quite believe him. "Whatever. You then told my dad that you would take his first born instead."

"Yeah," he replied. "You were a baby at the time."

"My father somehow managed to convince you to delay taking me away from him."

"A rare moment of compassion from me, I admit."

"Did you actually take people's babies?" Belle asked with a mix of disbelief and discomfort.

"Sure. Always a market for a baby," he admitted this with no compunction. "There are plenty of people who will do anything, anything for a baby," Gold gave her a wan smile.

"Why didn't you come for me when I was older then, like you said you would?"

Gold again dropped his eyes and made an empty gesture with his hands. "I guess, I forgot. I was really busy." He elaborated. "Usually I remembered those kinds of deals. I would go back at some point, get the girl and have her keep house for me awhile. After a couple of months, the girl would run away and I'd have to get a new girl."

Belle looked at him, shrewdly, "'Keep house'?"

He managed to raise his eyes to meet hers, "Yes, keep house. You know, cooking, and cleaning and laundry and sweeping and so on."

"'And so on'?"

He gave in, "You're wanting to know if I had sex with my housemaids."

"I am," Belle admitted.

"Sometimes," he answered, honestly. "But please remember, this was all before I met you."

"So how did I end up with you, if you didn't come for me, how did I end up with you?"

"It was the agreement, the deal."

"What?"

"The agreement itself will begin to drive the participants. It's the way magical curses work."

"So you're under its control also?"

He easily made eye contact this time. "Excellent, Belle. Curses work both ways. They are tricky things."

She nodded, dropping her own eyes.

He explained further, "It was the curse that had propelled you into my life when the time was right. Of course I will let you go. I have no desire to hold you against your will. Do you wish to leave me?" he asked her softly.

She shook her head.

He took a deep breath and confessed, "Regina did not know that I put a second part to the curse."

Belle looked up at him, alarmed, "What?"

"I promised him that you would be happy. Are you happy?" he had to ask.

She nodded again. "Yes," she whispered. "And I'm not under a love spell?"

"There's no such thing. I work on it every so often, but I don't have one. And if I don't have one, then nobody has one."

"So my feelings are real?"

"Oh, I hope so, I've never been with anyone who has the feelings you have for me." He shifted in his seat. "Belle, I can _feel_ your feelings. They seep out of you. Your thoughts about me are so clear, so genuine."

Belle sat up, suddenly suspicious, "You can read my mind?"

He smiled at her, "'Interesting hands. Nice ass'," I remember those thoughts about me from our first meeting."

Belle felt herself getting hot. She knew she must be furiously blushing._ Maybe the floor would open up and swallow her. He should have told her he could do this. Good grief what else had passed through her mind in front of him? He should have told her, the smug bastard._

"And now, you're thinking I'm a bastard for not letting you know this before now," he was smiling at her. "Although I think you also understand why I don't tell people about this particular talent."

"Do you know every thought I have?" she asked, afraid to hear his answer.

"No, my sweet, it's not every thought, although I can do that when I bend my mind to it. Your thoughts are clearer than most. I think it's because you have a clean conscience. Not a lot of noise in your head."

_He wasn't going to tell her, at least not now, not yet, that he could _push_ thoughts onto people, steer them in the direction he wanted them to go. _

She looked at him. "Do you know what I'm thinking now?"

He sat calmly, separating the flood of information coming at him. Thought-reading was much more complex that anyone would imagine. Usually, most thoughts were incomplete, just tiny snatches, incomplete words, incomplete visions. Her thoughts were quite clear. _Such a sweet face but such tawdry thoughts. _

He smiled at Belle. "You're a very naughty girl. But we will do it my way first."

+ + + + + _Waiting to be Surprised_

It was now three months out from the destruction of _The Castle_.

After the transmission of the formula, Nolen had sent out a broadband message asking for a reply from 'Mr. Green.'

The two ships had begun coded communication and Gold had let Nolen know that his group had all survived the fireball. Nolen had alerted him that they had indeed been declared dead and Gold had responded that his crew was accepting of this and were moving on with their new lives.

Belle had insisted on letting her father know she was still alive. Gold had initially resisted this, but then, upon reconsideration, felt it did keep his reputation intact. He'd sent General French the message that Belle was alive, was with Rumplestiltskin and was happy.

The crew of _Happy_ also began additional communication with Hopper and Ruby.

Gold was now working on a new project with Dr. Hopper as Mr. Green. Hopper had asked for help in procuring medical supplies, especially pricey medicines and Gold was working with him on both creating medications and transmuting dross into some of the most expensive treatments.

They had discovered that Jefferson was quite adept at making business deals. He was able to manage Gold's requests to keep his lab in operation, Belle's requests to keep the ship's domestic activities going and Emma's requests to keep the ship in shape and operating, all by dealing with the different locals of different worlds. He would find out what they had to offer and find out what they wanted. Some of the information he was passing on to Snow to help her businesses.

They were now on their way back to a rendezvous with _The Grimm_ for Nolen's and Snow's wedding.

It was early in the morning, several days before the wedding. The yacht was on autopilot. Emma and Belle were fixing breakfast. Actually Belle was cooking pancakes from a prepped mix and Emma, whose many talents did not include cooking, was assisting. Jefferson and Gold were in the kitchen area, helping with the domestic tasks of setting the table, getting napkins and setting up chairs. Belle was struggling, complaining of not feeling well.

"This is the third morning in a row I've felt nauseated," Belle complained. "I thought I must have eaten something, but I don't know. It doesn't seem likely that this is a virus. There are just the four of and no one else has been ill. Of course, I might have eaten something no one else did. I think I've been eating more than anyone else. I seem to be getting fat. My skirts are getting too tight." She rambled on.

"You feeling any fatigue?" Emma asked her evenly.

"Oh god yes. But that's just because we've been so busy," Belle explained.

Emma caught Jefferson's eye from across the room. He had heard the exchange. He glanced over at Gold, who appeared oblivious, but they both knew him better. He never missed _anything_.

As the breakfast preparations proceeded, Gold came over and wrapped his arms around Belle. He nuzzled her neck and brought his hands up under her shirt to caress her breasts. She swatted him away.

"Ouch, you're hurting me. And we're not alone," she protested, a little irritation clouding her usually sunny disposition.

"Not trying to hurt you. You seem a little sensitive," he observed.

"I've just been pawed at more recently than I'm used to," she responded crossly.

"Sorry," he backed off. Belle suddenly brought her hand up to her mouth.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said and as the three traveling companions watched, she suddenly vaulted out of the kitchen running for a hygiene facility.

"Gold," Emma said to him, "You're going to need to tell her."

"No, I don't think so." He was smiling. "I'm going to do what men have done since the beginning of time. I will wait for her to realize it and she'll get to surprise me with the news."

Belle's nausea had subsided and she was back on the computer systems of the ship. She had been studiously going through the Reul Ghorm's computer files on _Happy_. She was with Emma in the control room.

"Did you know that the Reul Ghorm kept virtually all planetary records on this ship? All official records and a lot of personal files."

Emma shook her head, "Too bad you can't access them."

Belle cleared her throat, "Well actually it did take me a couple of hours, but I got in."

Emma was impressed. "Oh really! Anything interesting?"

"I'll say," Belle moved away from the monitor so that Emma could see the screen. "Take a look at this."

Emma looked at the screen. "I'm looking at all kinds of records on all kind of people."

"Yeah," Belle confirmed. "Look at this one," she directed Belle's attention to the screen.

Belle continued, "Apparently, the Fae are, or at least were, into some kind of genetic engineering. From what I can gather they take DNA from different subjects and combine them. The subjects could be adults but I suspect that often the subjects are children. They create babies and incubate them. Some are held in stasis and others are sent out into the world."

Emma was still looking over the records, "Ok, now I'm seeing records of cryogenic subjects. It looks like these go back several hundred years. Some of these people are apparently still in storage, do you think?"

"I do think. On some of these subjects, there's a 'thaw' date. Others have been left in deep freeze. A few seem to go in and out of statis."

"So why are we interested?"

"Look at this name," Belle directed Emma's attention to the screen.

"Odd name. Extensive listing under it. Lotsa numbers. I'm not understanding much of what was written here. Who is it?"

Belle hesitated. "A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Gold told me his true name, his original name. He doesn't use it often, but it does come up now and again. She pointed to the screen. "This is it. How common could that name be? This has got to be his son."

"Do you know the son's name?"

Belle shook her head. "I didn't even know the man had a son. But look at this person's status."

Emma read the information from the screen. "Oh my god. He's alive. He's been one of those that they have put in and out of stasis for a while; looks like he's in his, what? early thirties."

"I'm going to get Gold now," declared Belle. "I think he should know."

_Belle couldn't bring herself, just yet, to share that she had found both Emma and Jefferson in the data base. She wasn't sure, just yet, what it meant. _

Gold was in his lab. He looked up when Belle came in, always glad to see her.

"Yes, my sweet?" He looked at her face. "Is something wrong?"

"Not at all. I just found something in the Reul Ghorm's computer files that you may find interesting."

He stopped what he was doing and gave Belle his complete attention. "Yes, my dear?"

She wasn't sure how to begin. "I was looking over the computer files on this ship."

He didn't say anything, waiting for her to continue.

"I found some records on their cryogenic subjects."

Again, Gold sat quietly.

She made herself continue, "I found someone who is currently listed as 'alive,' but is still frozen."

"Belle, just tell me. I'm not going to get angry at you for something the Fae did," he assured her.

"The name of the subject is Baelfour, son of Rumplestiltskin. I had wondered if it might be your son."

Gold had gone ashen and still. He sat down on his stool.

"Gold, Gold, are you all right?" Belle asked, rushing over to him. The man looked like he was going to faint. He gripped the side of the table. He had stopped breathing.

"Bae," he managed to whisper. "You found Bae?"

"I think so, and he's been in a cryogenic freeze. The records are pretty recent and indicate that he is still alive." Belle said softly, putting her arms around him.

"Alive. My son is alive?"

"I think so. He's not on Faeland, but another planet that they use for this purpose. I'm not familiar with the world."

Gold whispered, "Zona. They call the world Zona. It's a frozen wasteland. I've been there."

Emma and Jefferson were discretely standing at the door.

Emma came in, "I told Jefferson and he's in agreement. Right after the wedding, we get some others involved and we go to Zona to get him back."

Gold was still shaken. "We're going to Zona?" he asked his companions.

"To get back your son," Belle told him.

"If you want to," Jefferson added.

Emma smiled at him, "I have a plan."

_Fin (at least for now)_

**A.N. Sorry to say, but this is the end of my original story arc. I hadn't known if there would be enough interest in a set-in-space-Rumple-as-an-alien story, to warrant continuation. (And darn, perhaps I shouldn't have used up all six of Rumple's wishes).**

**I am working on picking up the thread with Bae's Rescue story. Unfortunately, while Emma may have a plan, she hasn't shared it with me. . . yet. And I'm not one to start writing until I have all the bones of a story in place. Give me a little while (like many of you I have work and, in my case, have additional teaching responsibilities compounded by unpredictable health issues, plus a family and blah, blah, blah – yes, yes, we are all too busy), but I am seriously considering pursuing it. ****Thx, as always to my recent reviewers, thedoctorsgirl42, Grace5231973, Coil way, BrittanyLS, and, to Jaybird6 - get yourself an account please and begin writing your own stories – your reviews are insightful, provocative and just generally delightful and I'd like to be reading some of your work. thx txm **


	13. The Announcement

+ + + + + _The Announcement_

Belle had finally gotten around to preparing a special meal for herself and Gold, just for them, without Emma and Jefferson, one that she hoped wouldn't be interrupted by any business or deal-making. She had important news for him and she wanted the privacy to tell him.

She had delayed moving on her news, really not quite sure how to broach the subject. It was only after Emma had confronted her that Belle had realized that she would have to screw herself up to the sticking point and just go ahead and say it. Once Emma had confirmed what was happening with her, she had encouraged Belle to "tell the man, just tell the man." Emma did tend to be hard-nosed and practical about such things. Emma had also shaken her head and predicted, "You know he's going to be insufferably smug about this, even for him."

Yes, Belle knew this.

She had fixed a romantic supper, diligently preparing the handful of things that he had indicated were tolerable foods, remembering what Granny had told her about the level of heat that Gold preferred in his food. She knew that he liked things spicy, in fact, fiery hot, in fact, so hot that she was surprised the food didn't spontaneously ignite. Now she could eat four star Thai, but his stuff must have rated about four hundred stars. He began at the Trinidad Scorpion level, which required her to wear gloves and glasses to process. Not hot, but still on his tolerable foods list was red wine and Jefferson had been able to obtain what he called a "nice red," on a down planet trip he'd taken to replenish their supplies. Gold kept them all in, well, gold, that they were able to use to purchase whatever they needed. Belle had had to smile when Jefferson reluctantly handed the wine off to her.

"You aren't planning on downing this, are you?" he had asked.

She had kept her face impassive. "Any reason why I shouldn't?" she had asked him sweetly, suspecting that Emma had spilled. He had shaken his head, obviously uncomfortable.

Jefferson had also gotten her some candles and she and Emma had managed to find a tablecloth to help set the table amidst some of the Reul Ghorm's possessions, all of which had been left on board when they had booted her out and absconded with her ship. Belle had adjusted the temperature of their quarters up to sweltering.

She just wasn't sure how Gold would react to the news. She thought he would be happy, but he was so darned unpredictable. What if he wasn't? What if this wasn't a good time? What if he thought she had done it on purpose so she could trap him in a relationship? What if? What if?

Feeling guilty but at odds with what else to do, she and Emma had gone through the Reul Ghorm's possessions and between them had found a suitable dress for Belle to wear. It was a floor-length, semi-transparent pale gown. It was too long for her, but otherwise fit. She would have thought it was someone's nightwear, but Emma had assured her that this was Fae dailywear. It was a pretty gold color that set off the highlights in her hair. He seemed to like her in gold. She wore her hair down.

Belle was nervous. She actually wasn't entirely sure she was pregnant. What if she was wrong? She was pretty sure, but not absolutely sure. He'd said he'd welcome a baby, but in the reality of what they were dealing with, would he be so welcoming? Emma had helped with the food prep and the personal prep, making sure Belle's hair hung in shiny, cascading ringlets around her face. "Although in this heat it's going to wilt," Emma had told her, being ever-realistic.

Emma had finally looked her over that evening and told her that she had never looked better and she had better get the news out quickly. "Gold will probably have you on your back before you get through the second course," she had warned her.

Belle waited nervously but fortunately, he didn't come back to their shared quarters late (like he did sometimes when he got caught up in an experiment or a business deal). When he came into their quarters that evening, Belle smiled timidly at him from the candlelit table.

"Oh Belle, how beautiful! You did this for me?" _He seemed pleased._

"For us," she replied. "I know you have been doing what you were supposed to be doing to get all well and to help take care of us and I wanted to, well, I wanted to, maybe, have a special evening with you," she finished lamely.

He gave her his crooked smile, so obviously pleased with her actions. "You are so beautiful, Belle. I'm never quite sure what I did to deserve you." _Aside from that curse thing I did on your father._

She had to laugh at that. "Now I often wonder what you see in me."

He seemed surprised to hear her say this. _Did she not know?_ "Oh look at yourself, woman. You are exquisite. When I'm out with you, I notice men looking at you, speculatively, wondering if you're available. It's everything in me not to put you in a collar that proclaims you're my property, and hang a 'hands off' sign around your neck." He pulled her out of her chair then backed her up against a wall, then leaned in towards her, caging her between his body and his arms. "I want to keep you in this compartment all day, bereft of clothing. Some days, I imagine that you are chained to my bed, waiting on my pleasure. "

Belle felt herself growing warm. "You seem to have a rich, and slightly disturbing, fantasy life, Dr. Gold."

"Call me Rumpelstiltskin," he told her before moving in to kiss her.

"Can I just say Rum?" she barely managed to ask, holding onto him because her knees had already given away.

"Yeah, Rum's fine." _Regina would call me Rumple, so Rum is fine. _

Belle realized he had started to undress her and Emma had been wrong about them getting to the second course. They weren't even going to get started on the food.

"Listen, I've got to tell you something," she tried to speak but he seemed more intent on disrobing her and putting her under him. She pushed ineffectually against him. "Listen, stop, stop, please."

He ignored her.

_Arrogant man. Conceited, self-absorbed man._

_. . . _

_Delightful man. Exciting, satisfying man._

So the meal and the news were both delayed.

Gold was awake, wide awake, but not moving. He was enjoying the moment. This most beautiful woman was half-laying on top of him, still clinging to him just as she had when she reached her last peak of passion. Glancing over at the table, with the still flickering candles, he had a twinge of guilt. The woman had gone to some trouble to make special preparations for a special evening, including that most flattering of gestures a beautiful woman could make for a man, that of making herself more beautiful for him. And he hadn't even given her the courtesy of making it onto a bed with her, just taking her up against the wall and then again on the floor. He vaguely remembered that she had initially protested, but he had ignored her, intent on his own inclinations, including bringing forth that soft cry that his penetration always seemed to draw from her. His hand trailed down her shoulder, her arm and then onto her body, just grazing her abdomen. He brought his hand back up to twirl his fingers in one of her long chestnut locks.

Belle stirred. It always took her more than a moment to pull herself back together after a session with Gold. She luxuriated in the warm, spicy smell the man exuded. At the moment he seemed intent on playing with her hair, absorbed in the curl and the shine and the smell. She took a deep breath. Now was as good a time as any.

"I'm pregnant," she announced without preamble.

He stopped playing with her hair and looked at her intently. He slowly smiled. "You must know I'm very happy to hear this." He sat up, "I guess I ruined your plan for an intimate supper and a quiet announcement, didn't I?"

_Good god, was that an apology? _She stretched. "Well, this was fun too. And the food should still be edible." She sat up and looked closely at him. He was still smiling at her, _insufferably smug for sure._ It occurred to her suddenly. "You knew already, didn't you? I mean, we know you can read my mind. You couldn't have missed this."

He ran a hand up her arm, his fingertips then trailing down the same arm, causing her to shiver. "I don't pry, my dear. I've told you that."

"But you did know."

"Belle," he spoke slowly. "You were having morning sickness, complaining of weight gain, fatigue and you were uncomfortable with me touching you. . ." he laid the back of his hand on one of her breasts, "here. I know every square nanometer of your delicious body and I notice even little changes. The only thing missing was you publishing how late your cycle was."

"Oh," she blushed. "I thought I was being discrete."

"You live with me, Belle. It was hard to miss the signs." He became very serious, sitting up and pulling her against him. "Are you happy with this, Belle?"

She looked up at him, looking directly in his eyes. "Oh yes. This is the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me."

Gold sighed, relaxing. He had wondered if he had pushed himself too hard on the young officer, sweeping her away with his experience, dulling her good senses with his focused charm. He had wanted her to want him as he wanted her. He knew so many other women had tried to use him because of his power, his money, his knowledge, but were secretly repelled by his appearance. But she seemed so genuine, so real. She actually seemed to care about him. To love him. _This was good news. _

+ + + + + _The Wedding Party_

They were on their way to The Wedding.

Not quite happy in having seen Belle in the Reul Ghorm's clothing and suddenly realizing that females liked to have an array of garments in their closets, Gold had sent Emma and Belle shopping. They had both been able to find an array of new clothes, but they had especially been looking for something to wear to the wedding of Captain Nolen and former Captain White. Belle had found a lovely richly embroidered golden dress that she thought that Gold would like on her. And Gold had mostly approved of the dress she had selected, although he thought it showed more of her bosom than he might have preferred to make public. He privately thought that Belle wearing that particular color went to marking her as his property. He also enjoyed seeing her slightly expanding and increasingly visible abdomen as additional proof of his ownership.

He had procured for himself a white and gold outfit and Belle thought he looked splendid. She also thought it likely that he had just magicked it up. She was becoming increasingly aware of the range of his powers and had begun to wonder if there were any limits on what he could and couldn't do. What was it they had said on the Pirate World? Anything he couldn't do? Oh yes, bring back the dead and make people fall in love.

Once they were both dressed, she looked at their reflections. They made an interesting, striking couple.

Emma and Jefferson were also, of course, attending, Emma wearing an extraordinary red dress she had found when shopping with Belle and Jefferson wearing red and black with his signature tall hat. Emma was allowing Jefferson to touch her, but Gold knew that she was still maintaining her boundaries. He was surprised that Jefferson was continuing to hang in there with the woman. He personally thought that Jefferson should have kicked her to the curb by now. But then, when he looked at Emma, especially in that red dress, he understood why Jefferson was still hoping for a relationship.

When they got there, Gold had made Belle promise to seek out Archie to get checked out, "just to be sure everything is all right."

Belle knew, without him saying, that he was concerned, really concerned, if the baby was healthy and normal.

It was after the brief service and at the reception that they were able to socialize. Emma and Belle were immediately welcomed by the crew of _The Grimm. _Gold was treated with some measure of respect but held at a distance by most of the crew, as if they weren't quite sure what to make of him now that his disreputable past and magical reputation had been revealed. Jefferson was scrutinized and everyone was initially cool, but polite. He would, from time to time, put his hands on Emma as if to remind them of his relationship with their former security officer. Emma tolerated his touch but did not return any physical gestures.

When the crew of _The Prince_ arrived, it became a different manner. Ruby ran to Jefferson and threw herself around him, hugging him closely. She gave gracious smiles to Gold, Emma and Belle, her eyes quickly going to Belle's stomach. Hopper followed behind his exuberant wife and was quick to pull Belle aside.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

"Splendid," she replied. Then she whispered, "I will want you to check me out after the wedding, just to be sure everything is progressing the way it's supposed to."

He nodded and then hesitated, his training finally pushing him forward to ask, "You are all right with this?"

"Absolutely," she assured Archie, having gotten variations of the same question from nearly everyone. She knew Gold was watching her. He was always watching her.

David, the happy groom, eventually made his way over to Gold. "Didn't waste any time, did you?" he asked nodding toward Belle as she talked with the ship's physician.

"I don't imagine you plan to let any grass grow with the very fine Miss White," Gold had responded to him.

"But I've married the girl." David didn't have to say it, he didn't quite approve of Gold's relationship with his former young officer.

Gold glared at the captain. "Marriage? I don't know. That's a big step," he replied.

"Dipping your wick and putting a babe in her belly isn't?" David was surprised at Gold's attitude. "Let me know if you change your mind. I'll be happy to help with officiating."

Gold shook his head. _Did Belle want marriage? To tie herself to him forever and always? She had never mentioned it. She seemed happy with their current arrangement. Would she want a commitment? Women sometimes did. He hadn't really thought that far. But then, he didn't think she could possibly care for him quite that much._

King George, dressed to the nines himself and present with an opulent entourage, ambled over to talk with his son.

"The White girl is delightful. I was acquainted with her father. It's a good family. She's a bit rough around the edges, thanks to that psychotic step-mother of hers. Whatever possessed her father to marry that woman?" he shook his head, disapproving. "But she has a strong backbone and good bloodlines. I approve."

"Thank you, father. That means a lot to me," David responded honestly.

"You would have married her with or without my approval. We both know that," King George did not bother to hide his dissatisfaction with his son's independent streak. Suddenly, he asked, "And just what is _he_ doing here?" David followed his father's gaze. He was looking at Dr. Gold.

"He was invited. He was instrumental in getting myself and Miss White together and for saving us all."

"Well, social obligations are one thing, but some of these people actually seem friendly with him." King George moved closer into his son and lowered his voice. "He's extremely dangerous and most untrustworthy. Is that a young woman with him? Who is she?"

David looked. "Oh, that's Isobelle French. General Moe French's daughter."

King George was askance. "Is she pregnant? Has that creature had relations with her?" He was clearly appalled.

David nearly smiled at his father's judgmental response. "They appear to have genuine affection for each other, father."

"How is that possible? He must have put her under some type of spell. She couldn't possibly be getting into his bed willingly, of her own free will."

David was shaking his head. "I've no reason to think she's under his control. She seems perfectly aware of what she's doing. I think she's in love with him."

"Bah," the King responded. "Do you expect me to believe that a beautiful young woman like Miss French is enamored of that inhuman half-devil? Not without him having done something to her. Someone really should get her away from him."

"You're welcome to try. I think he would probably kill you if you tried anything," David warned his father.

Apparently oblivious to King George's opinions, Gold was remaining close to Belle and she, in turn, was continually looking to him for company and support. They were circulating with Belle doing the social thing, greeting and talking with her former crew members as well as those she had gotten to know from _The Prince._ He noted that she seemed well-liked by all and he was inordinately pleased that she was perceived by others so favorably. Her affability and near universal approval from others was opening doors for him. Not that people had become warm towards him, but they certainly weren't openly hostile. As they circulated they worked their way over to Leroy and Astrid, who had also both been invited to the wedding.

Leroy greeted Gold enthusiastically. "I figured you had survived," Leroy told him. "You are too clever to have gotten swept away with that fireball. I knew you had more powers that would protect you."

Belle couldn't help but notice that Leroy's fluttery Fae wife was pulling back from Dr. Gold, almost as if she was trying to hide behind Leroy. She didn't say anything, but her eyes were wide with fear and concern.

Leroy noticed her reaction immediately.

"My dearest, are you all right?" he asked

"I. . .I. . . I'm alittle uncomfortable around The Dark One." She dropped her eyes. "I know you and he are good friends and he helped bring us together. I know he means no harm to me, but," she stopped talking, aware that several people in the group, including The Dark One himself, were looking at her.

Dr. Gold gave a twisted smile. "Your Lady Astrid's people and I have quite a history. Neither one of us is comfortable around the other," he attempted to explain. He addressed the shy Fae directly, "I assure you, my dear, I mean you no harm."

Leroy also tried to comfort her, "I've known Ryu for some time. I promise you, he won't hurt you."

Astrid gave a weak smile and a timid curtsy to Gold but still kept her husband between herself and the Dark One. "I'm sure," she managed to say. "But I'm still uncomfortable."

Belle had watched the exchange and intervened, warmly greeting the miner and his Fae-wife and then making an excuse to lead her alien lover away from the two. "I believe, my dear, that we have yet to speak with the bride. We mustn't fail to give our best to her." She gave the other couple a brilliant smile and pulled Gold away.

In a quiet voice, she asked him, "What is wrong with her? She didn't look uncomfortable. She looked terrified."

He shrugged, "Long history. My presence seems to set the Fae off. Usually they are frightened or just repulsed."

Belle stopped. "OK, the frightened part, I can understand. You can be quite scary. But repulsed?" She shook her head. "I think you're so beautiful." She leaned in and stood on her toes to give him a quick kiss on the lips.

Gold was surprised at her comment. He turned to her and said steadily, "I think. that. you. need. your. eyes. checked," and he gave her a quick kiss back.

Belle just shook her head, laughed, and led him on to find Snow.

Snow greeted them both with a happy smile. Belle thought she looked absolutely stunning, in a long white lace gown. Captain Nolen had given her pearls and diamonds to wear and now she looked every inch the princess.

"You look beautiful Snow and so happy," Belle told her.

"I am. Happier than I ever thought I would be." She glanced over at Gold who was apparently busy examining the corners of the room, bored with the female exchange of amenities.

"You and the Dark One?" she whispered to Belle in some surprise. Snow had had only minimal contact with Captain Dark on the Pirate World but certainly knew him by reputation. And then David had told her about another layer of his personality, about Dr. Gold; she knew he had shared the Sugar Diamond formula and had asked for nothing in return.

Belle nodded.

"He's a very complex man, Belle. Can you be happy with him?"

Belle nodded again. "I think so." Snow reached over to give her a hug.

_It was just a simple gesture, but it caused Belle to notice Snow's hand and the stunning wedding band that Nolen had given her. Her gaze went to her own hands and she brought them together. Marriage. She had not really given it any consideration. Would Gold want to marry her? Why would Gold want to marry her? He was so long-lived and when she was old and grey and creaky, he would still be as he was. He wouldn't want to tie himself to someone like that. She would not ask him to do that. She would enjoy what they had for as long as she could. Her heart hurt with the thought that what they had would end, had to end. _

King George had watched the exchange, not overhearing any of the conversation, but catching the gist of the situation. _He had to have her under some kind of spell. . . or a curse. That would be the only explanation why that beautiful girl would tolerate, could tolerate that little demon's touch. Why someone hadn't managed to take the devil out before now, he'd never understand. And she was Moe's French's daughter. What an idiot Moe had been to try to renege on the bet. Now George had been dreading the day when Rumplestiltskin would call in the bet, but at least, the demon had only asked for a modest show of force from him. It had been easily done. What a relief it had been. _

_But then, then there was that other thing. He'd yet to ask for payback on that other favor._

"Enjoying the show?" the voice came from behind him.

King George nearly jumped. "Where the hell did you come from?" It was Rumplestiltskin, snuck up behind him, popped in from the blue.

The creature pointed vaguely towards the group surrounding the new bride. "Over there," he replied. Gold lounged indolently against the wall, his eyes sparkling. "I wanted to thank you for your promptness with those cruisers. It was exactly what I needed. That debt is paid."

King George looked at him for a moment and then curtly nodded.

"I see you've noticed the young woman who is keeping me company," Gold continued.

Again George could only nod.

"Beautiful girl, don't you think?"

George responded, shortly, "lovely."

Gold watched him a long moment before saying, "Moe French's daughter, you know."

"So I heard."

Gold gave him a slight smile, "You disapprove."

George broke eye contact with the creature. "Not my place to approve or disapprove."

"But nonetheless, you disapprove."

George gave it up. "I do."

"But you know not to interfere. Always liked how you knew what cards to play and when to play them, George. It's a rare skill."

"I'm not forgetting that I owe you one more favor," George said quietly.

"Ah, yes, you do. I had almost forgotten about that one," Gold shrugged. "Hopefully I will never have to call it in. And if I do, again hopefully, it will be as easy as you sending in six ships to back me up."

Gold started to walk away from the king. He stopped and turned back to him, "Oh yes, if you see General French, you may want to let him know that he will soon be a grandfather. We'll send him a picture." He gave a short bow, smiled, turned and walked away.

King George shuddered and shook his head. _Someone definitely needed to take him out. _

_NEXT: The Plan goes into effect_

_ Things go awry for Miss Belle_

_ Miss Emma and Dr. Gold share. . . well they share something _

**Thank you, thank you, thank you to my awesome reviewers: NightowlsNest, Notsureyet18,**** thedoctorsgirl42, ****Jaybird6 (oh, please send me a pm when you make the dive, thx ) MyraValhallah, OfTheDark and all the anonymous guests who encouraged me to continue with a new story arc – The Rescue of Baelfour (which is not going to be so much a rescue as a reveal of the motivations of the Blue Fairy and the relationships between our characters). It's taken me a short while to map things out and get a jump on the chapters. I appreciate your patience. Hope people enjoy. - twyla**


	14. Back Up Plans

+ + + + + _Back-up Plans_

It was late at the wedding reception. Emma was talking animatedly with her former captain, Ruby Red and Dr. Hopper.

David was shaking his head, "I don't know Emma. This is such a bigger problem than just going in to get Astrid."

"That's why I need a bigger plan. Unless we get immensely lucky right away, I'm sure we're going to need Dr. Hopper and sooner or later we're going to need Confederation backup. The Fae aren't going to just back down and let us take someone out. I'm not asking that you be directly involved, at least not at first, at least not until we're sure what's going on there. But I need you to be in the area, so that you can come if I have to call for you," Emma talked quietly and urgently.

"Gold's on board with this?" David asked.

"Not happy about some things, but yes, he's on board. He helped develop the plan, including Plans B and C, which I'm pretty sure we'll have to go to at some point, that is, unless we're immensely lucky. You know me, I like to plan for every contingency."

"Well, it sounds pretty bad, if what you think is going on there is what is happening," Ruby observed. "I'm in and I'm sure Snow will give her ok. I can easily manage to find some business in the area and hang around."

"Thanks, Ruby," Emma was pleased. "Now, Captain?" She still called him Captain, even though technically, he wasn't her captain any more.

He hesitated. "Well, I can at least be in the area. I'll have to see more evidence before I commit the Confederation forces to anything. You know that, Emma," Nolen was somber and quite serious.

"Gee, daddy, thanks," Emma responded mischievously. "Being in the area is a much as I was hoping you could do. I just want you for that safety net," she assured him. "And Ruby, you don't mind us borrowing the good doctor for a couple of weeks?"

"Well, I do mind, but I think I will manage," Ruby gave a quick grin. "Maybe be good for us to be apart for a little while, remind us what we've got together."

Archie Hopper took his glasses off and wiped them. "Thanks, Ruby. You know I hate to put the hospital on hold, but this sounds really important."

+ + + + + _Whimsy_

No one could do crazy like Jefferson. Bald-faced, screaming madness, psychotic, monkeys-in-the-attic, green-skies, x-ray-people-walking-through-walls, the-colors-are-talking-too-loudly crazy.

Gold appreciated an artist when he saw one.

"Yeah, that should be convincing," he agreed with Emma, watching Jefferson go off, ranting and cursing, finally settling into a small ball, rocking and muttering to himself.

"It'll get them in," Emma said. "Red lent us three of their unmarked, unregistered patrol boats. They'll go in on one of them."

"We're sure they won't recognize them?" Gold had asked for the umpteenth time.

"They might, but even if they do, it should be all right. Neither one of them are connected with you."

"And you promise me that she'll be safe," he asked again.

"We've been over this, Gold. I can't promise that. But Belle is smart and capable and she'll be careful. She's the best hope we have of getting the information out of the planetary's data base in the shortest time. Hopper couldn't begin to do it, nor Jefferson, nor me and certainly not you. And we've got to know where to look before we start looking. Without this first step, everything we'll take us longer and every moment we're there will increase our danger of getting caught."

"And if she's caught, Emma, then what?"

"Plan B, of course," Emma answered.

Gold sat quietly a moment, his fingers drummed on table, a nervous mannerism that was not typical of him. He turned toward Emma and told her, "You know, if anything, anything should happen to her or the baby, I will, of course, go after the Fae, but I shall also go after you for this hair-brained plan." He stood. "I've been around a long time, Princess." His eyes narrowed and his voice lowered. He leaned in towards her and whispered, "There is a point between pleasure and pain when the two merge. If anything happens to them, I believe I shall introduce you to it."

Emma watched him turn away from her to leave the control room, repressing the desire to stick her tongue out at him.

So he was threatening her. What else was new? Well, she thought, since he was already pissed with her there was nothing to lose. "Why do you call me Princess?" she finally asked the question that she had been wondering about for awhile.

He stopped and turned to look back at her. His face was absolutely impassive. Emma had played poker to support herself through college. She _read _people, she knew if they were telling the truth, she often knew what they were thinking. But she couldn't read this man. He had no tells, nothing that gave her a clue. She very carefully, very gently, tried to probe.

_She felt it. Felt him respond. She heard his voice inside her head. "Trying to look inside my mind, Princess? Be careful. You may find some things you aren't expecting to find. And if you come into my mind, I will feel free to come into yours. I don't think you're ready for that, are you?"_

His face hadn't changed. Not a flicker, not a twitch. He held her in his gaze. "Why do I call you Princess? Whimsy," he answered her spoken question. Then turned and left her.

It took her a moment to realize that she was holding her breath. She made herself take a deep breath. _Damn, he was like this with his friends. Overbearing, dictatorial, downright scary sometimes. What was he like with his enemies? _She shuddered. _She had never felt a mind like his. She felt like she could have fallen in and not been able to find her way out again. Just how the hell powerful was he? _

+ + + + + _The Hospital's Computer_

Belle's role was to play the frightened wife of the crazy man. She would steer their somewhat damaged little transport, limping into their airbase, calling for emergency assistance. Her husband was injured, she would radio. He wasn't acting right. Could they offer medical care? She could pay.

She was met by a mixture of Fae and some of the other species they used for muscle. Jefferson went berserk on them and they had to sedate him. Belle cried and began to share that they had gotten caught in the crossfire of several vessels firing on a single ship. Their little trip showed battle scars and fireball damage. Her husband had sustained a head injury and had seemed all right. . . at first. But he had become increasingly different and more violent as the weeks and months had gone on. She had finally realized that they would need to get help. She had steered them toward the first planet she thought could offer any real medical support.

She had rode with him in one of their ambulances to the hospital, holding his hand and talking gently to him. The perfect, supportive little wife_. And pregnant too. The poor thing. _Belle didn't need Gold's mindreading ability to know what they were thinking.

She followed along wringing her hands, trying to answer the questions their doctors asked of her. They ended up putting Jefferson in a padded room.

Belle found her way to the waiting room and settled in. She knew that Jefferson had taken drugs that would render his brain waves very abnormal looking, but were otherwise undetectable to any of their other equipment. He would look very disturbed to them. _Good grief, he looked very disturbed to her and she knew what he'd done to himself. _The drugs would last for about forty-eight hours, he'd assured her. That should give her enough time to do her job. _Lord, she was hoping that they wouldn't pump him full of their own drugs and render him senseless_. She pulled out her computer tablet and began to search.

Like most hospitals, the airwaves were full of data, most of it encrypted, but Belle had never found the Fae to be particularly technologically sophisticated, not for someone of her perception and skills. Nothing happened during the first hour, but by the second hour, she had latched onto part of their data base. It would now only be a matter of time.

Belle wanted so much to give Gold and Emma some indication that everything was going according to plan, but she knew that once she started feeding the data back to them, well they would know soon enough.

It was after midnight. Belle had stopped briefly to find food for herself (it was actually decent), wander around the facility (it was huge) and, after talking with a pleasant night nurse who provided her with a blanket, settled in for the night (although, she was pent up and probably was going to be too nervous to get any real rest).

By one in the morning, she had broken in and connected. It had only been a matter of time, given their shoddy encryption coding. She was there now, downloading and sending the information immediately up to the ship. She could rest now, the transmission would take care of itself and let them know she had been successful. Belle settled in and was soon, too soon, asleep.

+ + + + + _Plan A, Part One, Done_

Gold was up, as always, and was sitting in the control room. He let Emma know as soon as the information started to come streaming in.

"She's done it!" he announced to Emma.

Emma, who had fallen asleep on a cot in the control room, stretched and barely roused herself. "Great, now she'll just have to sit tight until the drugs wear off of Jefferson and she can get him and leave. I just hope his brain looks reasonably normal when all the drugs have worn off or it will be hard for her to pull him out of there."

"I still don't like this," he said, shaking his head.

"Relax, she's getting her job, Part One, done. The data is coming in. She and Jefferson will be off planet probably by tomorrow evening and her part will be all done. She'll be back, safe and sound. And we'll use this data to go find your son, Part Two, and pull him out of there, Part Three."

"You better hope so," he warned her.

"Yeah, yeah, you're such a scary guy," Emma replied, dropping off back to sleep. _Actually, he was. _As her eyes drooped closed, she could see him, silhouetted in the dim lights of the control panel, green-gold skin glinting in the limited light, sitting, just sitting, absolutely still. _Yeah, actually pretty scary. _

+ + + + + _Locked In_

Belle woke with a start. She was no longer in the waiting room chair wrapped in the coarse blanket. She was in a real bed, a very comfortable real bed. Her tablet was resting on a table beside the bed. It was blinking that the transmission was completed.

_What was happening?_

"Hello."

Belle looked up and around. A beautiful dark-haired woman in a sparkling blue gown was smiling at her.

"Where am I?" Belle had to ask.

"For now, you're a guest in my home, Isobelle French." The woman leaned forward to look at Belle's tablet. "I believe your computer transmission has finished."

_Oh shit!_

"I really should have you review our computer files to see what could be done to make them more secure," the woman continued, still pleasant and smiling. "It didn't seem to take you any time at all to break into them."

"Who are you?" Belle had to ask, but she had a sinking feeling that she knew who this woman was.

"A very old friend of your gentleman companion. I am called the Reul Ghorm. I rule the Fae. I've been expecting you."

"My friend, Jefferson?" Belle was concerned for him.

"Oh quite safe. Still in that little padded cell. Did he take some sort of drug? His tests are coming back genuinely disturbed, but I somehow doubt that this is a permanent condition."

Belle didn't see any point in denying it, "Yes, he took some drugs. He should be all right within a day."

"Oh, I see, then. The plan was for him to get all better and for you two to just leave, back to safety. Excellent. A simple plan. Those are usually the best. It would have likely worked also. That is, if I hadn't been expecting this for some time now. And especially after Rumplestiltskin stole my little ship. I really loved that adorable vessel. I hope you are all taking good care of it. I knew you would find my records and that would bring you all here." She rose. "And this is so where I wanted you to be, especially you and Rumplestiltskin, especially now. I have missed him so much. It's been a very, very long time."

"You knew? You wanted us to come here?" Belle was alarmed. She didn't think that Emma had anticipated this.

"Well, of course. I'll have to tell you about myself and Rumplestiltskin some day. But right now, I have to go and prepare for Miss Emma's next steps. I'm assuming they will try to rescue you and Jefferson and, of course, go after Baelfour. He is, after all, who you came here for." She continued smiling and left Belle.

Belle vaulted up. She tried to get communication going with her tablet but realized she had been put into some type of electronic field that wouldn't allow anything in or out. She tried the door. She was locked in. She went to the windows. It was still dark but she could see that she had been placed in a tower room, high off the ground. Climbing down didn't look like much of an option. She was a prisoner.

+ + + + + _Communication is Lost _

It was very early in the morning. Gold had gotten up to fix himself some klah and then some coffee for Emma.

"We've lost her," Emma explained. "Her body transmitter has stopped sending, probably they've got her somewhere it's dampened out. Jefferson's is still working."

"Do you think they've got her as a prisoner?" Gold asked her.

Emma breathed out in a puff of air. "Could be. Could be as simple as she's wandered into some type of dampening field and it cut off her tablet and her personal transmitter."

"It could be that the Fae were expecting us and are now waiting for you and me to also fall into their trap," Gold observed darkly. He slammed his fist on the control panel. "I knew this would happen. They've been onto us all along. They are too sneaky, too clever. We didn't fool them at all. And now Belle is a prisoner." He turned towards Emma. "I warned you, Emma. If anything happens to her. . ."

"Relax, we've got this contingency covered. No reason to think they're going to hurt her. Probably will try to use her as bait to get to you. Hopper and I will go down in the morning."

Gold shook his head, "They want the baby," he pronounced. Emma glanced over at him. He had slumped in his chair and looked defeated, saddened, as if it might all be too much.

Emma whispered to him, "We'll get them back. We'll get them back, safe and sound." She tried hard to reassure him. . . to reassure herself.

+ + + + + _A Discovery_

Emma had stayed up all night, purusing the data base that Belle had sacrificed herself to get to them. She had found Baelfour son of Rumplestiltskin and went right to his location. Ah yes, that was what she was looking for. She caught a notation next to the name, the number 2-34-N. Then, looking down into his personal history, meshed deep in some descriptors and dates, she found another name and her blood went cold.

+ + + + + _Busy Belle_

Belle was busy. She hadn't slept any more after awakening in the bedroom-prison. She needed to figure out how to get out or, at least, how to get word to Emma and Gold. She carefully took her tablet to each corner of the room, going low, going high. She had to find a signal somewhere. She jimmied the window, but it held tight. She considered flinging a chair at the window but a close examination of the clear panes suggested they were more likely something pretty unbreakable. She'd save that gesture for when she was really feeling frantic.

She felt along the walls. Stone. No help there. She looked around the room. Any way to start a fire? They didn't seem like they wanted to hurt her. She had been placed in a comfortable enough room. If she could start a fire. . . with what? She had on hand, well, nothing. Not even two sticks to rub together.

+ + + + + _The Data Base_

Emma read, "Emma Swan, 9-42-N."

_It was her name, connected with Bae's. What the f. . . ? _

And connected to their names was another name. One that Emma had not heard before.

Henry, 10-8-N.

She read, she re-read and read once again the information. She was in the Fae's database. What did it mean?

She continued looking, running a 'search.' Jefferson. Yes, his name was there too. He had a number, 8-04-A. And he was connected to someone named Alice Liddell, 9-48-A and another name, Grace, 10-15-N. This was hard to accept, but both she and Jefferson were in the data base._ Had Belle known?_

Emma looked, but did not find Belle's name. She paused a moment and searched for another name. It came up as one of the first entries. Rumplestiltskin. His number, 1-5-A.

What had the Fae been up to? What were they doing? Why were they doing it?

+ + + + + _Plan B_

She had knocked on the door of his bedroom. After sitting for, who knows, an hour or more, trying to absorb what she had been reading in the data files, Emma had decided to go to see Gold. She had only ever been in his room when Belle was there by herself, never when he was there with Belle, certainly never when it was just him. The room was dark with only minimal running lights allowing her to maneuver and make out furniture. He was sitting in one of the chairs, just sitting. She came over to him and, at first, she just stood. He didn't move. She knelt down by him and felt him bring his hand to her hair.

"I'm in their system," she told him quietly. "So is Jefferson." This next part was hard, "There may be offspring for both of us." She looked up at him, "It's genetic research, isn't it? They're trying to do something, get something."

Gold didn't say anything at first. "I don't know what they want."

"But this is bigger than we ever thought. How many others have been manipulated, altered by them for who knows what end? I feel violated. Gold, I want to get your son back for you. I also want to get what. . . who may be my child and get Jefferson's child. How dare they do this! To use my DNA to make a child. How dare they? To me? To some poor kid? I don't know what reason they can possibly have for what they are doing." Emma spoke passionately and Gold was surprised to see that she had tears streaming down her face. "But this has got to stop. This whole place needs to be shut down. I thought they had taken your son because they were pissed at something you had done. But it's so much bigger than that."

Gold leaned forward and touched Emma's cheek, wiping away some of her tears. "Emma, you're right. What they are going is wrong. They need to be stopped." He put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to his. "Let's take 'em down."

She gave him a smile and dropped her head into his lap. He felt so warm, so amazingly solid and comforting. She could feel his hand on the back of her head, strong, his fingers entwining in her hair.

"Gold," she said quietly talking without looking at him. "Have you ever thought that if Belle, well, if you had never met Belle. . .?"

"I've told you before, Princess. If Belle were not a part of my life, then I would likely have pursued you." He spoke softly, gently. "Emma, the spitfire," he whispered, remembering his earlier classification of he character.

Emma lifted her head. "I think I would have let you catch me," she heard herself whisper back to him.

Gold looked deep into her green eyes. He considered, considered for a moment.

Emma was quite beautiful. Luminous eyes, full soft lips, shining, flowing blond hair. So inviting. So tempting. They both leaned in and for a brief, delicate moment, their lips touched. They both held on, the kiss deepening. His hand tightened in her hair, to hold her head in place. It was so sweet, so precious. He began to pull her up off the floor, up and onto his lap and for a moment, she let him, dissolving into the kiss, the embrace, the heat and security the man offered. It had been so long for Emma, too long, and he really was a good kisser and really good at whatever else he was doing with his hands. _Gee, no wonder Belle had folded the first time he had put his moves on her._

It was a long moment before they both pulled back, feeling awkward and embarrassed.

"Oh lord," Emma spoke first. "I'm so sorry. Belle is like my very best friend and I'm so sorry. This is so wrong." _Oh please, dear god, don't let him press on. She didn't think she would have the strength to resist him._

"But it feels so good," Gold admitted. "And I'm sorry too. Not to say I didn't enjoy it, but I'm seriously committed to Belle. You are very, very tempting, but, I agree, this is not a good idea and neither of us want it to go any further."

"Agreed. I don't understand why I'm so drawn to you." She shook her head. "But, we will never talk of this again," Emma said still sitting on his lap, her arms around his neck, somehow, despite her words, not in any hurry to get up.

He just sat with her for a moment, himself not in any hurry for her to remove herself from his embrace. "You need to end things with Jefferson, Emma. It's not fair for you to keep making him think you will relent and give yourself to him."

She nodded, finally pulling her arms from around his neck. "I don't hate him and I'm not afraid of him anymore. But I'll never love him. And my skin crawls at the thought of letting him into my bed. The man raped me. I can't come back from that. I think I am able to forgive him. I know a lot more about him, what he's lived through and why he is like he is. But it doesn't make what he did better or ok."

"We do need to go save his ass," Gold told her.

Emma nearly giggled. "We do. Hopper and I will go down tomorrow. You following us?"

"Yeah. But I'm not looking forward to it. This is not one of your better plans."

"Plan B it is." Emma confirmed it.

_NEXT: Emma Swan to the rescue_

_Gold to the rescue_

_The Reul Ghorm plays a card from her hand_

Thanks again to my faithful reviewers: BrittanyLS, Grace5231973, Jaybird6 (liked your suggestion and hope to have a place that I will be able to accommodate it), NightowlsNest, thedoctorsgirl42, and Notsureyet18. Your feedback really helps me keep writing and helps me see gaps and holes (what's working and what's not). txm


	15. Thawing

+ + + + + _Thawing_

Emma and Archie had rode down on the second transport together. Emma had flown them in and landed in the most secluded area within driving distance of the unit. They were riding now in the largest land vehicle that had come with the transports. For a while they were quiet as they rode in together.

"She was ok when you checked her out?" Emma asked without preamble.

Archie immediately knew what she was talking about. "She's perfectly healthy and, from what I could tell, the child is too. It doesn't have two heads or anything obviously wrong. The heartbeat is strong. The baby is moving normally."

"You know he's worried about it."

"Yeah, I gathered that. But his DNA is essentially human just with some odd things mixed in."

"What?" Emma was quite surprised. "But I thought he was some alien species."

Archie shrugged. "Not exactly. He's more human than not. Just some tweaks."

Emma was opened-mouthed. She considered pressing Archie, but could tell that he was already uncomfortable with what he had shared. Although, after a moment, Archie added, "I don't know if the baby will have his talents or be green and scaled. That would take a lot more testing and equipment I don't have. But Belle has assured me that she will be happy with a baby that's healthy, regardless . . ."

Archie hesitated but then asked, "Are things all right between you and Dr. Gold?"

"Why do you ask?" Emma tried to keep her voice even.

"Things seemed a little tense between you two, earlier," he shared.

"We're fine," Emma assured him. "Just fine."

"Good. It wouldn't do for Belle's best friend and the father of her child to be on the outs."

"We're not on the outs," Emma said quickly. "We're fine. Well, except for him being mad at me and blaming me for Belle's capture and the whole plan going in the dumper." _And us doing the lip-lock thing when we both knew it was wrong._

Archie looked at her. He'd been her friend for a long time. He chose not to say anything.

They had arrived at the facility. Emma parked them in a dark corner. They walked into the austere building where their information had told them that the frozen pods were all kept. Dr. Hopper was dressed in his white jacket and accompanied by Miss Swan, who had pulled back her hair, acquired unfeminine black glasses and her own white jacket. Emma had secreted three small side arms within her clothes and had insisted Archie do the same. . . just in case.

With the codes supplied by Belle's transmission, they had no problems gaining access. Archie, with his ready medical background, was easily able to deal with staff queries as to why they were there and what they were doing.

"Routine, checking vitals, equipment checks," he provided a variety of reasons, all banal, all reasonable, flashing the very realistic looking fake credentials Emma had prepared for them.

"This is it," Emma found the cryogenic storage pods and carefully, following the numbers (the Fae were nothing if not compulsive) to Bae's pod. "Here, 2-34-N, this is him." Emma stood by compartment. "Do you know what to do?"

"Yeah," Archie replied. "These things are pretty standard. We'll need to watch his vitals and slowly bring him out."

"How long will it take?"

"A while, maybe an hour or two. Emma, I'm going to start the process on him and then see about taking some of these other people out. I'm looking for people who weren't sick or injured when they were frozen. Those people can't be brought out. These others, those that were frozen because the Fae just wanted to keep them around, we can open up." Archie had adjusted the control of Bae's pod. He waited for a moment to make sure everything looked just fine and then went on to the next pod. Emma elected to wait by Bae's pod.

+ + + + + _Finding Jefferson_

Gold had taken the third little transport and gone on alone into the main hospital. He went directly to where their latest information had indicated that Jefferson was being held. He wore a dark cloak and hood, hoping it would buy him a little time before he was recognized. There were only a few of the actual Fae around and they just seemed to automatically avoid him, without much conscious thought or awareness. Yet, he knew it was only a matter of time before he was recognized. He would get too close and one of the Fae would actually _look_ at him. And would know who and what he was.

Using the information Belle had forwarded them, he went right to the room that Jefferson was originally placed in; Gold was hoping he was still there.

"Jefferson," he whispered, leaning into the door.

"Dark One?" Jefferson responded. "I'm all right but I've been kept isolated. I haven't seen or heard from Belle."

"We're pretty sure that she was captured."

"Damn," Gold heard Jefferson swear under his breath. "I'm totally sorry but I was completely drugged out. After I recovered, I began asking for her and they kept telling me that I was still too sick to have visitors. I've been wondering what had happened."

"I'm getting you out. I'll need your help to go find Belle," Gold told him. He examined the door. It was a punch key lock. Gold concentrated a moment to pick up on the residual memory of the last person who had opened it and punched in the numbers, "2342." That opened it. Minimal effort.

Jefferson was wearing a hospital gown. His tall body was not readily covered by the short Fae garment. Gold glanced at him. "I've seen you look better."

"Hey, get me some pants, a wheelchair and a blanket. We can go anywhere in this place if you act like you know where you're going. And let me push you around. All things considered, I can look more like one of the staff here than you can."

Gold briefly considered and agreed, "Sure, why not?"

Without much effort, they did locate a chair and they used the blanket from Jefferson's room. Pants were a bit harder to procure and it was finally from a laundry basket that Gold pulled out a pair. He held them up to himself and realized they would never do. Jefferson needed some that were extra long. It took more digging before he found some that would serve, as well as a scrubs top. He then found the unlocked locker in front of the room that held all of Jefferson's clothes that he had worn into the facility. They were able to get his shoes from it and then borrow some shoe covers for Jefferson's feet. More importantly to Jefferson, he found his hat. Happily he folded it up and stuffed it inside the waistband of his pants where it wasn't obvious. Now he looked like a standard surgical resident. Gold positioned himself in the wheelchair and covered himself up so no one could see him.

They set off together looking for Belle.

+ + + + + _Unsatisfaction_

Emma watched as the pod began to unthaw. She had never seen anything quite like this before. She had the oddest feeling that the figure seemed to have awareness, as if his consciousness had returned before his ability to move. His eyes seemed to flick around, often fixating on her. She kept imaging that he was smiling at her or, maybe, frowning. Emma wasn't quite sure. She could see some of his features, fine, even, with large dark eyes. _Like his father's human eyes._ He looked thoroughly human though, not like his father. The thought came unbidden into her mind, _wonder if he kisses as well as his father. _

"Get a grip on yourself, girl," Emma chastised herself. _You've gone too long without getting any. Jefferson would jump at the chance to oblige, but that would open such a can of worms. Gold would've come through, but that would have been just plain wrong. He is your best friend's fellow and he pulled back as quickly as you did. Mutual attraction, for sure, but they were both adults. In your case, a deeply unsatisfied, increasingly frustrated adult. _

She shook herself. Not what she was there for. The pod was nearly completely thawed. Archie had come back to check on the vitals. He showed her what to look out for and asked for her assistance in monitoring about five more of the pods.

"Just call me if any of these gauges go into the red zone. We have to refreeze if something shows up wrong in the vitals."

Emma nodded, "I can do that. Look for arrows in the red zone. Call you right away. Gotcha."

+ + + + + _Finding Belle_

Jefferson was wheeling Gold around the facility. Jefferson had been quite correct, as long as he was pushing Gold around as if he knew where he was going, nobody bothered them.

"My computer skills aren't quite on the level of Miss Belle's but between us, we should be able to locate where they have stashed her. She should show up as a patient in some room, if they go true to form. The Fae are nothing is not compulsive about record keeping," Gold observed.

They found an unsupervised station in one of the backwards and were able to power up the central computer.

"How do you think they might have stashed her?" Jefferson asked.

"Let's go with her real name first. Belle would've had no reason to give them a phony one." Gold worked diligently looking over the roster of patient names and room numbers. "Well, this is almost too easy. She is the South Tower, room 16. Sounds like it's at the bottom of the building." He closed off the computer. "Let's go." He hopped back into the wheelchair and had Jefferson steer him toward one of the corridor maps that would lead them on to the South Tower."

+ + + + + _Talking Out Loud_

Emma had dutifully kept watch on all the dials of the five pods that Archie had charged her with. Periodically he would walk back through to check on her.

"How's it going?" she asked him on one of his passes.

"Up and down. A very few of mine had to be re-frozen. The vitals went off the chart. But most seem to be making it. Looks like there are about twenty in all. Are all of yours doing fine?"

"They are. Baelfour is almost done. Hey," she asked what she had been wondering. "Is he awake? I keep feeling him looking at me. It's an odd feeling as if he knows what we're doing."

"I don't know. I wouldn't think so, but people who have been put into cryogenic deep freeze have reported some interesting . . . well, I guess they would be interesting memories. . . or perceptions. I wouldn't discount anything."

"Ok. I guess, I'll start talking to him them. It won't hurt anything, and if he might be understanding me, I won't feel so stupid."

"Well, we talk to coma patients and we think it helps," Archie told her. "It won't hurt anything." He left her alone with her pods.

"OK," Emma began to ramble. "Mr. Baelfour, son of Rumplestiltskin. I'm Emma Swan. And I'm here with my best friend Belle, trying to rescue you and take this abomination down." Emma went on, sharing the reasons for their coming. "Your father's with us and he's fine right now. He's a pretty powerful guy. Pretty rich. Really smart. Kinda hot. He and Belle are quite the item. I guess, if he ever gets off his fine tight ass, that she's going to be your new step-mom. That'll be a little awkward, given that you're probably a couple of hundred years older than she is. She's really nice, though and I can promise that you'll like her." She hesitated, "And I'm sorry, but I did make out with him that one time. I was stressed and he was stressed and we just started kissing. It didn't go any further than that, except I'm pretty sure that he felt me up. But, any who, we both managed to stop before anything else happened. And it's really helping me to talk about this with somebody as I feel really, really guilty. I'm not sure I need to be sharing what happened with Belle. If it's just to make me feel better, I need to suck it up and just deal with it." Emma prattled on.

+ + + + + _An Odd Dream_

As they maneuvered through the confines of the large hospital/sanitarium or whatever the Fae were calling it, Jefferson brought up something.

"Have you ever had a dream that turned out to be real?"

"All the time," Gold replied huffily from beneath the blanket. "Have you?"

"Not really. But I keep dreaming about this woman."

Gold made no reply.

"She's not someone I've seen before, but I can see her face so clearly I'd recognize her in a heartbeat. She's a beautiful blonde, long pale hair tied back with a blue ribbon that matches her big blue eyes, bigger than Miss Belle's. She keeps walking through whatever else I'm dreaming. What do you think it means?"

"I think it means that Miss Emma has still not agreed to you boinking her and it's time for you to start looking elsewhere."

"Really?" Jefferson hadn't thought of that.

"Oh hell. I don't know," Gold sounded exasperated. "Maybe it's somebody you did meet, but you've forgotten or it's somebody you will meet. Who knows? Can't you just catch up with her and ask her who she is?"

"I keep trying to but she kinda floats away like things do in dreams. Sometimes she does stuff like walk through mirrors."

"That's just disturbing," Gold told him. They moved along in silence for a while.

"Hey, this appears to be the South Tower. And Miss Belle should be in room 12, 13, 14, 15, ah, here it is 16." Jefferson said.

"Let me open it," commanded Gold. He got up from the chair, walked over to the solid door, and touched the door knob. There was a blue cloud that rapidly rose up and surrounded him. He slowly sank to floor in a daze and lay crumpled and still.

+ + + + + _Awakening_

Emma's first clue that Baelfour had completely thawed came as she was pulled over by the man and thrown down to the floor with his weight on top of her.

"How long this time?" she heard him demanding.

Stunned, she had difficulties replying.

"How long in the deep freeze this time, bitch?"

"Oh, hey, I'm not one. . . "

He didn't let her finish, using one hand to secure both of her wrists above her head and using the other hand to pull her head back by her hair.

"What does it matter? Well, you are certainly prettier than the ones they usually send. You wanna just go ahead here or do you have to be in a bed?"

Emma didn't think he was making sense, but she felt herself in some genuine danger. Her training took over and she abruptly pulled up to bite him on the nose. When his grasp loosened, she managed to free her hands and then to push him off of herself. She planted a knee up against his groin and put a gun barrel against his head.

"Move in the slightest and you'll wish you hadn't," she warned him

He held still, glaring at her.

"I'm not who you think I am." She took a deep breath. "Apparently all that talking while you were still a popsicle. . .wasted. You didn't hear me at all did you? Nothing that I said." She shook her head, "I'm Emma Swan and I'm here to rescue you."

"Emma Swan?" he repeated. "Rescue me?"

"Get you out of this hell-hole. Unless you just really want to stay?"

"Hell no, lady, let me up and lead the way," he directed her, removing his hands from her.

Emma carefully scooted away from him, still holding the weapon on him, not sure if he believed her or if he was just trying to gain an advantage. She sat up, continuing to watch him closely and was able to pull herself to a standing position. Slowly Baelfour also pulled himself up.

"You're not one of the Fae," he said matter-of-factly.

"No, I'm not," she readily admitted.

"But you have Fae DNA. I can see it."

"Then you know more about me than I do myself," she told him.

"Ah," he said. "You don't know, do you? I've been wondering if you might show up. Are you alone?"

"I'm with your father," she blurted out, now standing far enough away that she felt safe.

"My what?"

"Your father, Rumplestiltskin."

Baelfour shook his head. "That's not possible."

Emma shot him a surprised look. "Yes it is. Green-gold lizard skinned alien looking guy?"

Baelfour answered slowly, "Yeah, but. . . then he really is still alive."

"You'll be meeting him soon enough if all goes well. Here, help me out. We're waking everybody up who can be awakened."

"Probably not a good idea," he cautioned her.

"Why? Are some of the people murderous criminals or have super-contagious illnesses or something else that would make it not a good idea to wake them up?" she asked him.

"Not really. They've just been under so long that they have nowhere to go. All their family is dead. This is the only home they have known. Who are you to take it away from them?"

Emma was stunned. "You people are prisoners here and the Fae are practicing genetic experimentation on you. I can't stand by and let that continue. I'm with the Confederation and they will be able to offer these people a new world to set themselves up."

Baelfour shook his head. "If you say so, Emma."

Emma startled when he called her by name. It rolled off his tongue, like a caress. _Well, she had told him her name. It wasn't like he'd read her mind to get it or anything. But, darn, she was having those thoughts again, remembering his hard body on top of hers, how it had felt. _

_It had felt good. Too good. _

_Not good for her._

+ + + + + _The Cage_

Jefferson was immediately at Gold's side. "Dark One? Captain Dark? Dr. Gold? What happened? Are you all right?" he asked, shaking an unresponsive Gold by the shoulder.

"Oh, I believe he'll be out for just a little while."

Jefferson heard a woman's voice behind him. He turned. He recognized the woman. "Oh hell for breakfast," he murmured. It was the Reul Ghorm. He slowly stood, his hand instinctively going to his side, but then realizing he had no bladed weapons, nor anything else, on his person. He opted for charm instead. "Madame," he smiled and gave her a slight bow.

She smiled back at him. "Stomboli, Gideon, John," she called to her thuggee helpers. "Please take Mr. Jefferson here and our unconscious Rumplestiltskin into the confinement room."

She stood back while two of the guards restrained Jefferson and the third opened the room door to drag Gold into it. In the center of the room was a large red-barred cage with the bars going from floor to ceiling. Gold was deposited inside the cage and then Jefferson was shoved unceremoniously in behind him. The guards shut and locked the cage door and then went back out the door of the room.

The Reul Ghorm entered the room, surveying them inside the cage. "I wasn't expecting two of you. I had thought he would have pursued his little strumpet first and then come after you," she addressed Jefferson. "but the cage will certainly hold you both."

"Belle was never here. She is somewhere else." Jefferson realized that they had been set up.

"Of course. Once she disappeared it was only a matter of time before he came after her. The others in your party? What is it that they want? Or should I ask, who do they want? Baelfour? We'll see how well that goes for them." She smiled sweetly at Jefferson and left him and Gold alone in the red cage.

Experimentally Jefferson touched the cage bars and immediately pulled back. It felt like it was glowing red hot _or maybe it was icy cold._ Whatever, it hurt to touch the bars, really hurt. He tried to _push _on the bars, using the little magic that he possessed, but it was like he had been slapped. His energy rebounded and nearly knocked him down. He pulled his hat from his waistband, poked it out fully and set it on the floor. He tried to activate it, but there was nothing. No response. Useless.

_This is some type of magic cage. Magic is ineffective or at least is trapped inside the cage. Bummer._

_+ + + + + Getting help_

"You people are serious about this?" Baelfour asked them as Archie and Emma helped to round up the people, maybe twenty of them, that they had successfully thawed from the pods. Emma had ended up talking with each one to be sure they wanted to leave and had gotten rapid universal agreement from the ones she had interviewed.

Archie pulled her over. "Listen Emma, I wanted to run this by you. I found this one, here." He pointed to one last pod which he had almost finished unthawing. "Her history indicated that she'd been badly burned and put into stasis to heal up. She's about ninety-five percent healed up. I started thawing her, just because she was viable and I wasn't discriminating, but I thought you should know about it and let me know what you want me to do."

Emma looked into the pod. "Well damn," she said. "What a dilemma. I don't want to take her, but it wouldn't be right to leave her here." She thought a moment. "Gold will skin me alive, but he's already so pissed with me that one more strike won't make it any worse. Let's finish thawing her, give her a choice and, if she wants it, we'll take her with us. It's the decent thing to do," she finished up and added, "even though she would never do the same for us."

Archie nodded. "Thanks, Emma. That's what I thought was the right thing to do, also."

Emma was doing a headcount. The little transport was designed to hold up to fifteen people, max. It would be a little cramped, but it would get them off world. Emma figured she would be able to get off world when it was her turn by connecting with Gold and finding the third ship that he had come down in.

"Archie, can you get them up to ship on the little transport and begin Plan C? I need to go find Gold, Jefferson and Belle and help get them out of here," she ignored Baelfour as she focused on saving the pod-people.

Bae realized that Emma hadn't heard his original question and repeated himself. "You really are getting these people out of here?"

Archie answered him. "The ones we can. Those who aren't too sick or too injured. Yeah, it'll be kinda crowded, but we've got help coming in soon and can get everyone situated." He did a quick headcount. "Hey, I know we're missing at least one. One of the women, a pretty blond, just wandered off. Keep a look out for her." He directed Emma and then motioned to the bewildered group to follow him. They set off, except for Bae and, of course, Emma.

"Why aren't you going?" Emma asked him. "I won't have time to babysit you."

"If you've got friends that have been trapped, you'll need help."

Emma waved him off. "I'll do fine on my own."

"I don't think so. Did you know that thawing any one of us has set off alarms in their control room? Do you think they're just going to let you walk out of here with these people? And if they've got your friends, I can promise you that they are sitting and waiting for you to come rescue them."

Emma scratched her nose. _He made sense._ "Well, damn. OK, so what do you suggest?"

"We get some other help. Come with me," he directed her.

So, not quite trusting, Emma followed him. He led her out of the doorway of the facility and then he stopped.

"Oh hell," he muttered. "I'd actually forgotten how far away everything is from this facility. It's a long walk. You up for it?"

Emma glanced over at the parking lot in front of the building they had just exited. She looked up, yeah, they would be, were in fact now, on camera somewhere. Nothing to lose here. "I think I can get us a ride," she told him and began to walk over to examine the different vehicles.

"You're stealing a car?" he asked her, just a bit surprised.

"Borrowing it, please, just enough to get us where we're going. It'll get returned to the owner without a scratch. Trust me," Emma told him and bent herself to the task of breaking in and hotwiring a usable vehicle.

**A.N. Thanks to my ever faithful reviewers, MyraValhallah,. thedoctorsgirl42, Grace5231973, NightowlsNest, Jayird6, and Notsureyet18. I especially appreciate the comments from the new reviewers, cherrybubbley and Seramarias (thx for your great suggestion on checking on the baby – I did incorporate it into this chapter). Thx guys all around.**

_NEXT: Gold and Jefferson meet a teleporter_

_ The Reul Ghorm explains herself_

_ Bae and Emma make contact_


	16. Little Fish

+ + + + + _Little Fish_

"You know he's come for you, dear," the Reul Ghorm had come to Belle's room.

"I knew he would," she replied defiantly.

"So did we," the Reul Ghorm confirmed. "It was a matter of putting in the wrong data into the computer and waiting for him. He walked right up to us. I'm a little surprised that he would be so easy to catch. But then, I do know that love can make a person a bit stupid, prone to bad decisions and impulsive actions."

Belle closed her eyes. _Poor Rum. _

"Of course it does take a very special, very powerful trap to hold someone as potent as our Rumplestiltskin and fortunately, I have such a trap."

"He's not _our_ Rumplestiltskin," Belle protested.

"But he is, my dear. He's your dear, sweet lover and he's, well, he's my errant child. He carries much of my DNA and I can't help but think of him as my son."

Belle was surprised. _She wondered if Gold knew. He had never talked about the Reul Ghorm except in hostile, angry terms. _

"Now, I must complete something with you that we started a very long time ago."

"You started something with me?" Belle was confused. "Like you altered all those other people? But I'm not in your data base. I've looked."

"Well, you're not in the data base that I_ let_ you have. But," the Reul Ghorm smiled sweetly at her. "But you are definitely in the data base. I will confess that, at the time, I had no idea that you would be the one that he would favor. I would have predicted Miss Emma Swan as the best candidate. But no matter, we had thrown a couple of little fish into the pond hoping to catch the big fish. And we did. We did."

Belle's last memory was the Blue Fae coming towards her and a soft, sweet smell washed over her.

+ + + + + _Trapped!_

Gold struggled to regain consciousness. The last time this had happened, he had awakened with a tube coming out of his arm and Belle's beautiful face, full of concern, peering into his. This time there was no tube and it certainly wasn't Belle leaning over him.

"Jefferson?" he managed to ask._ "_Oh lord, how could I have been so stupid? Of course they knew I'd be coming after Belle."

"It was a trap," Jefferson told him.

"What?! Yeah, I kinda got that. Not one of my smarter moves."

"I guess you were thinking with your feelings instead of your brain," Jefferson tried to comfort him.

Gold snorted. "Emma would have said I was thinking with my. . . well, she would have phrased it differently," he observed.

Jefferson agreed. He added, "We're in some type of cage. It keeps us from using magic."

"What?!" Gold was struggling to understand. _It hurts to move. To think. _He pulled himself up to sit. He looked around. The cage was large with bars going up into the ceiling and down into the floor. Tentatively he extended his arm and with his forefinger brought it close to the bar.

A bright blue spark shot out between his finger and the bar.

"Damn!" he shouted, pulling his hand back.

Jefferson told him, "I tried to _push_ against it with my mind but it rebounded and hurt like hell."

Gold looked at him. "Some of your own magic?"

"I only have a little," Jefferson confessed. "I can move things. . . a little. Sometimes I see a little of the future. With my hat, I can channel myself and do some other things."

"Indeed," Gold closely regarded him. "You don't use it often, do you?"

"Not often, no. It made people. . . uncomfortable. And I was having a tough enough time. I learned to use it only when no one else would find out."

"I understand. I tried for a while to live without using the magic myself. It worked, for a while, but not for long. Not for me." He grimaced and pulled himself upright. "I'm going to try to break us out of here. Be prepared to catch me."

Jefferson stood by. He could see Gold straining, his face twisted in pain, his eyes closed, his arms outstretched. Then he felt it, the rebound, the wave of agony and felt himself going down. _He was not going to be able to catch Gold. He couldn't catch himself. _"Stop it. Stop it!" he begged Gold. "I can't stand it."

Gold shook himself and opened his eyes, lowering his arms. "Well, that wasn't fun. And you were catching some of it too, I see. Sorry, but I had to try."

Jefferson was crouched, cradling his hands. His eyes were shut as he was trying to recover. Set in this position, he did not see the pretty blonde walk through the wall and into the room. Long pale blond hair tied back with a blue ribbon and, Gold could see even from a distance, large pale blue eyes. A beautiful, young woman. At first he thought she was some type of spectre but once through the wall she seemed solid enough. She was looking at them.

"Hello," she greeted them.

_He didn't think she was Fae, well not entirely so. _Gold somehow managed to give her his most charming smile and bowed with a flourish. "Lovely. You're quite lovely, my dear."

The woman seemed to be in a bit of daze. "I don't know you," she remarked. She looked hard at Jefferson, still crouched with his arms and hands around his head, obscuring his features. "Do I know him?"

Gold looked closely at the young woman, "Do you think you know him?"

"Maybe. He looks familiar. As if, as if I remember him from long ago. He begins with M. I can draw things that begin with M," she added brightly.

_Why with an M_? "Can you help us?" Gold asked her.

"It's very confusing. I can't remember things as I used. I'm not myself. How could I help you?"

"Get us help, please," Gold requested. "I think if you help us, we will be able to help you."

Jefferson had managed to look up. "You!" he said, looking at the young woman. "I know you. I've seen you."

"You, who are you?"

"I think I'm a friend," Jefferson replied.

"That's nice. That's important . . . or unimportant," she responded vaguely and began to walk toward the wall of the room.

"Please don't go. We need help," Jefferson called after her.

But it was too late. She was gone, through the wall.

The two men stood a moment looking at the solid wall she had just passed through.

Finally Gold spoke, "Your dream girl?" he asked.

"Yes, that was definitely her. So now what?"

"Well, now we wait. Maybe she'll be back with help. Interesting she can walk through walls." He speculated a moment and then shrugged. He sat back down onto the floor of the cell. "They're keeping us here for some reason. They'll be in to tell us soon enough."

+ + + + + _The Numbers and Letter are Explained_

"Where are you taking us?" Emma demanded to know as Baelfour led her down a series of corridors, even up and down some stairs.

"To the dormitories."

"The what?" she wasn't sure she had understood.

"The dormitories," Baelfour repeated. "Where the children are kept."

"Children?! There are children here?"

"Right now, just a couple, but they are very special."

"Are you sure? You've been in stasis for how long. How would you know?"

"I'm kept plugged in with the data base while I'm in stasis so I keep learning, both declarative and procedural tasks. I had nothing else to do, so I began to memorize the data base."

"The entire data base? Are you kidding me?"

"Well, I didn't quite finish. It's really large and it keeps changing." He stopped for a moment and looked hard at her. "Emma Swan, your number is 9-42-N. Your parents gave up an egg and a sperm when they were children. There were some modifications to fit you into the program and then you were grown in an incubator. Finally you were sent out. Does that fit in with what you read?" he asked.

Emma nodded slowly. "What do the numbers and letters mean?"

"The first number is the generation. They're up to Gen Ten now. The second number is the order you were created. You were one of the last ones of that generation," he almost sounded kind. "You came directly from two Gen Eighters. You're one of the first of the special ones created from an egg and a sperm rather than being an augmented human. So you're an 'N' for being 'Natural,' not an 'A' for 'Augmented'."

"What?"

"Most of the people in the data base were once fully human and have Fae DNA overlaid. They were changed or augmented. You were created from some of the augmented humans. Only recently have any of the augmented humans been fertile. There are only four in the data base that are like you, coming from male and female parents. You and two of the children here."

Emma hesitated, "And the fourth?" The answer flooded into her brain, "It's you, isn't it?"

Bae nodded. "My father and a Fae female."

"What happened to her? Your mother?" Emma had never heard anything about her from Gold.

It was a moment before Bae responded. "She died."

Emma was quiet for a while. _This didn't sound like something she wanted to pursue. _And then she blurted out, "Our names are connected in the data base."

He took her by the upper arms and turned her towards him. He was tall, not quite as tall as Jefferson, but taller than Gold. As she had seen, while he was still in the pod, he had Gold's deep, milk-chocolate brown eyes. This close, she could see tiny gold flecks in them. _She wondered if his eyes were like his father's. Would they change color when he was angry. . . or aroused._

"They took your. . . 'donation' when you were an infant and then, eventually they combined it with my 'donation' in a petri dish. Yes, Emma, we have a son."

"That's what I thought," she told him. "Is he one of the ones that we will find in the dormitory?"

"We should." Baelfour stood quietly and let the information flow through him. "That's his last known location."

"How will we know him?"

"His name is Henry. His number is 10-8-N. He'll know that."

"Bae. . .Baelfour?" Emma stumbled over his name. "This is a real child. A son?"

"Yes. I've been in stasis since before you were born, so I've never met him either."

Emma felt her feelings welling up inside. She had read the report. She had suspected, but had not been able to give it credence. She had a son. _Family. _She had had a son with Gold's son. One she had not known about, could not have known about. She abruptly felt hot tears stream down her face.

"I have a son."

"With me, yes Emma." Baelfour pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. "If it helps at all, this is the only child I have ever produced. I was never successful with any of the full Fae, though there were numerous attempts." He sounded bitter. He ran his hands through her hair, momentarily distracted by it's silky sheen. "I'd like to meet him too." He smiled down at her.

She took only a moment to pull herself back together, wiping away her tears. "Then let's go. But you've got to tell me how getting the children back will help us rescue Gold and Jefferson."

"Ah, well. They know stuff and can do stuff. You'll see," he replied.

+ + + + + _An Explanation_

"We are a shallow, petty species. We like pretty shiny things, baubles and jewels. I used to think we would go on forever."

Jefferson looked up from his position sitting on the floor of the cage cell. Gold had settled himself into a meditative posture and closed his eyes. If he had heard the Reul Ghorm come in or begin speaking he didn't acknowledge it.

"But of course, with no way to reproduce ourselves I knew that we would fall to accidents and incidents and random stray events along the way and eventually, after a long, long time, we would fall into the dust."

Jefferson wasn't quite sure what she was talking about so he kept silent. Gold hadn't flinched.

"Jefferson," she addressed him by name. "You do realize that all this is one large experiment in genetics, don't you?" She seemed almost sad as she approached the cage. "I realized some time ago that we were a dying race and I became determined to do something about it."

"What did you do?" Jefferson was intrigued despite himself.

"We began overlaying our DNA into that most interesting species - human beings. It acts like, what is it called? 'junk DNA' and it triggers changes, what might be called mutations in the host. We were hoping to develop a Fae-human hybrid that could reproduce."

Jefferson glanced at Gold.

The Reul Ghorm smiled. "Yes, he was our first success, a great success, but with two rather substantial flaws. None of our females could tolerate him. Most of the Fae reacted with fear to his presence or, at best, revulsion. And then, of course, he proved to be. . . quite difficult. Impossible for us to manage."

She shrugged and walked around the cage, eventually standing close to the bars.

She talked as if she was slowly remembering something that had happened long ago. "We had started with augmenting ten volunteers. Of our first ten volunteers, six died outright. Three of the remaining four became. . . insane, and we had to . . . dispose of them. Only Rumplestiltskin survived, but he remained in a coma. We could not reach him. We tried everything, everything we knew. The only thing that seemed to have any impact on him was pain. But he wouldn't regain consciousness. We increased the pain. . . experiences, and, eventually, he woke up. He woke up and destroyed. . . killed nearly a hundred people, some Fae, some our support staff. And then he walked out of the facility. And left us."

She continued, "Some of my people felt the whole endeavor had been a failure, but, with some effort, I was able to convince one of my sisters to give it a try. We can easily track his whereabouts anytime he uses his talent. So she was able to find him, and managed herself well enough to meet, seduce, marry and conceive a child with the great Rumplestiltskin. That child proved I had been right, that I was on the correct path." She leaned forward. "I'm still on the correct path. We are close, so close to creating that human-Fae hybrid. I won't allow you to sabotage my work now."

"Well, well," Gold suddenly stretched and stood in one fluid motion, his lithe, slender body moving smoothly and gracefully across to the bars of the cage. He leaned over towards the Fae leader. He spoke to her softly, "Well hell, if you just want me around to impregnate your sisters, why not just put a bag over their heads and start sending them in. I've read Jefferson's records. He's probably shooting live ones, too. I'm sure he'd be up for the job. At his age he can probably do at least a couple a night. I should be able to do three a night, four if they're lively. I don't like it when they just lay there and cry," he leaned toward her and sneered. "It's not conducive to the mood." He stepped back and leered at her, "Do you want to 'come' first?" he asked suggestively.

"Always ready with a quip," she replied, the slightest trace of fatigue in her voice. "Don't think I hadn't considered something along those lines. Certainly my sisters would be open to taking 'donations' from you if they don't actually have to tolerate your touch. But, I think, you would not be so cooperative were you not able to. . . touch."

"No, I think not," he glared at her.

"I believe I am able to tolerate your presence, dear one, because nearly half of your DNA is my own. I was your contributor. Fortunately, we have other candidates nowadays so that we can avoid consanguination. Nor do I think that any other type of byzantine coercion will be necessary. As you realized, there is Jefferson here, and there are a few others who are now available. We did get better with our selection process and our combining and we now have some viable, fertile hybrids. Not quite enough for a breeding population but enough to start. Understand, Rumplestiltskin, you are still useful to me, so I am not considering disposing of you, not just yet."

"Where's Belle?" he asked, his voice tinged with anger.

"Safe, but I have made a few changes in her."

"What the hell did you do to her?" He was standing immediately next to the cage bars.

"I needed a new assistant, after you had made off with Astrid. Belle is more than perfect for the job, as you would know, having had her as your own assistant. She has a prodigious memory and is quite the little organizer."

"What the hell did you do to her?" he repeated his question.

The Reul Ghorm looked at him.

"Finished what we started over twenty years ago. We took a precocious child who fit certain physical requirements, meaning she had the potential to grow into the type of female you prefer. She was one of several we augmented, making sure she would be amenable, even drawn, to your attentions should she ever encounter you. She is not the one I would have guessed that you would have selected, but no matter. I always saw you with a feistier, more. . . physical female, not the intellectual type. But the point was to engage you with a female, any female. We created several candidates and made sure that, in time, your path crossed with theirs."

"What the hell did you do to her?" he asked for the third time.

"Made it easier for her to be my assistant. She's not pining away for you anymore."

Gold raised his hands to the bars and gingerly began to wrap his fingers around them. Both Jefferson and the Reul Ghorm could hear sizzling. Gold gripped the bars and smoke actually began to rise from where his hands had contact with the bars. Jefferson watched in amazement _How was he standing the pain?_ Even the Reul Ghorm stepped back, her eyes widening.

"Have you forgotten all those days and nights of lessons you gave me on dealing with pain? I have not. You had better hope that before I figure my way out of here and, I _will_ figure my out of here, that you can put her back. Restore every particle of memory. If there has been any damage to her or to my child, I _will_ decimate your people. I will kill you," he spoke slowly and quietly, his hushed voice making his words more chilling.

The Reul Ghorm drew herself up to her full height. "Understand that you are only still alive at my pleasure. My sisters want you destroyed because they believe you represent a threat to us. If there is ever, ever the first moment that I believe you can successfully challenge me, I will leave only a singed hole in the place you stand."

She then placed a hand over each of his, stopping the smoke and bringing the metal back to normal temperature. A small purple light bathed both of his hands. She released him and with a tiny flicker of a glance at Jefferson, turned and left.

+ + + + + _Connection_

"So that's your mom, huh?" Jefferson couldn't stop himself from asking.

Gold glowered at him a moment, exhaling audibly as he calmed himself. "Apparently, in a manner of speaking," he responded, rather fatalistically. He sat back down. "And they're doing all this to make babies." He shook his head. "They couldn't have just asked for help, they had to get all wound up and try to fix it themselves. Jefferson, some females really do need a keeper."

"Ah," responded Jefferson. "A few weeks ago I would have agreed wholeheartedly with you. But Emma has taught me that women are independent creatures with minds and souls of their own and they need to be respected in their own right."

Gold squinted his eyes at him. "No, everyone's much happier if women are kept in their place – kitchen, barefoot, pregnant. When they are left to their own devices, they end up doing crazy, stupid things like genetic experiments."

"I'm going to tell Belle. I don't think she knows you think like this. Probably tell Emma too, that you said that. She'll come after you."

Gold grinned at him. "Belle knows, but I'll deny I said it. And we both know that Belle and Emma are exceptions."

Jefferson nodded in agreement. "I do miss them both."

"And now, perhaps, that little blond woman, too, I suspect," Gold told him.

"I don't know," answered Jefferson honestly. "I feel some strange connection with her."

+ + + + + _Getting Help. _

"We're the only ones left." The child was exceptionally pretty, with long, dark blond hair, bright eyes, pretty smile. She was about ten years old. "The other ones have all been placed into homes. Are you here looking for a child?"

"Actually we are," Emma responded, her heart immediately going out to this lovely, sweet child.

"Henry and I are the only two left. I'm Grace. Do you want a boy or a girl?"

Emma hesitated. _This was Jefferson's daughter! She had read enough in the data base to know this. Would he care? Would he want her? _

Emma felt eyes upon her.

She turned.

Then she saw him.

A handsome, slight boy, with dark hair, dark eyes, a somber expression.

"Grace, we don't want to be needy," the boy said quietly.

_No question. This was her son. Her child and Bae's. _

"Are. . . are you Henry?" she managed to ask.

He glanced at Grace and seemed to be replaying her earlier dialogue. _That's where this woman got his name_. "Yes," he answered and gave her a slight, crooked smile. _Just like Gold's. His thoughts came to her remarkably clearly. Could he read her thoughts also?_

"I'm so glad to meet you Henry. . . you both," she added.

Bae spoke up, "Are you two all that's left of the children?"

"Yes sir," young Henry answered.

Emma knew that Bae was eyeing Henry, also well aware of who this child was. "We want you both to come with us," he said kindly. "We need your help."

The adults could see that both children were debating. Emma had to give the children some credit, after all she and Bae were strangers.

It was at this moment that a lovely blond woman came through the wall. Emma gasped. Even having spent time with Gold, seeing someone engage in, well, magical behavior, still stunned her.

The woman looked right at her. "They're in trouble and need your help."

"Who?"

"The green magician and the pretty young man. They need help. They said they could help me. I'm not sure where I need to be going." She looked very confused.

Emma wondered if this was not the pod person who had wandered off from the group. She fit the description Archie had given. _How had she gotten from the cryogenics unit to where Gold and Jefferson were then back to the dormitory? _

Bae promptly spoke up. "Then stay with us, dear. We're not lost. The children will help you." He looked over at Henry and Grace and they, after exchanging glances, nodded their heads.

Grace moved in first and took the woman's hand. "We're all going out together. Stay with us, please."

Under his breath, Emma heard Bae murmur, "Great kid."

Emma gave them a wave, "Come on, everyone." She turned to the blond woman. "None of us can go through walls. _I don't guess either of these children can. _Can you show us where they are, the green magician and the pretty man?" _Good god, that would save us time if she could lead Bae and herself to them._

"Oh yes, I can find them again." She drifted off and the two adults and two children trailed after her. "But they are far, far away from here. In the main hospital."

**A.N. As always, thanks to my awesome reviewers: Notsureyet18, NightowlsNest, Jaybird6 (yes, Bae will have his hands full), Seramarias (loved your insight related to Gold getting tricked and how uncharacteristic this was for him – added this aspect to this chapter, thx), thedoctorsgirl42, Grace5231973, and BrittanyLS. I always appreciate the considerate feedback and how this helps me shape my story. Thx txm **

_NEXT: Regrets_

_ Rescues_

_ Emma makes a deal_


	17. Rueful Feelings

+ + + + + _Rueful Feelings_

It had not gone well. Somehow, always, she still hoped that there could be a reconciliation between herself and Rumplestiltskin. That he would come to understand what she had done. Why she had done it. He had always been so special to her, although she would never admit it to him. At the beginning, when he had first come to them as a volunteer, he had seemed quiet and sincere, so desperate for the opportunity to better himself. She had seen a keen mind and deep sensitivity in the man. She had liked him from the start and had selected him to receive her DNA.

He was quite the most remarkable entity they had created and, even now, now that they had just about perfected selecting optimal human candidates, having recognized that very young children were the best candidates, and overlaying optimal amounts of their own DNA, there was no one who came close to him. He was quite as powerful as many Fae. Certainly none of other hybrids came close to his strength. Plus he was that delicious golden-green color. Perhaps if she gave into his demand, if she restored Belle to him, he might have some forgiveness, or at least tolerance, towards her.

She looked over at her new assistant. Realistically she knew he would insist on getting Belle back in one form or another. He did seem to have some genuine feelings for her. Given his little demonstration in the cage, he might actually be willing to die for the woman.

At the moment, Belle was busily coding in this month's evaluation results. At her request, Belle had begun to overhaul their computer system and put into place a variety of firewalls and security checkpoints. Maybe, maybe she should put Belle back the way she was. She had wanted this child too. Children, after all, were the goal of the entire experiment. Why not let them have each other? Maybe they would even make more babies; he certainly seemed besotted with the little librarian. She might lose an excellent assistant, but perhaps gain some modicum of forbearance and more importantly, more offspring, which, after all, was her ultimate endgame.

She had to smile. She had suddenly realized how to get exactly what she wanted. Everything she wanted.

"There is an emergency contact for you, ma'am," Belle notified her, breaking into her reverie.

She took the call.

+ + + + + _Logic and Semantics_

"What do we call you?" Emma asked the blonde.

"You can call me Miss Carroll."

"Is that who you are?" Emma somehow didn't think that was her name.

"Oh no. I _am_ Diana," Emma caught the two children giving each other a glance.

"Then your name is Diana?" Emma asked for clarification.

"Oh no, my name is Alice."

"OK, Alice it is." Emma responded thoroughly confused.

"Very well," the blonde answered.

The group were riding in the same vehicle that Emma had previously hotwired and were, at Alice's direction, returning to the main hospital.

"How did you get all the way over to the children's dormitory?"

"Oh, that," Alice said with a vague smile. "I know how to find the rabbit holes in this place."

"Rabbit holes?" Emma asked. _How loony was this woman?_

"Oh yes. If you know where and how to find them, then, swoosh, and you can go just about anywhere."

"OK," Emma responded slowly, not sure what to make of it all. The children, thankfully, seemed fine with her.

+ + + + + _More Regrets_

Jefferson and Gold had consumed the food that had been shoved into their cells. Two thin hard cot mattresses, a pillow each and a blanket each had also been pushed through the tiny food tray opening in their cage. Jefferson had examined Gold's hands but they showed no damage from his grasping of the bars.

"I guess she healed you," he told Gold.

"I guess," Gold was noncommittal. Gold looked around the cage. "I can't sense anything happening outside of this cage, can you?"

Jefferson closed his eyes and tried to reach out but also found his thoughts blocked.  
"I know you're pretty pissed," he observed. "but like you, I can't see or feel anything else. Nothing outside the cage."

"So we can't even warn Emma. And I know she's coming. She's not someone who would leave a member of her team behind. I don't walk her to walk into a trap like we did."

"I don't know that Emma is going to be so careless and impulsive to come in without a plan," Jefferson was trying to be helpful.

Gold put his head in his hands. "Like me?" He wasn't so sure. "I don't know about that. If she gets upset, I believe Emma can be quite the hothead. She's likely to come charging in without any plan."

The two men had more or less settled in. Gold was lying on his back looking up at the ceiling. He suddenly sat up, reaching upwards with his hands. He then put his hands down on the floor.

He whispered to Jefferson. "The bars go up and down but they don't go back and forth. There's no floor or ceiling."

"So what, you can't transmute the concrete into paper with the psi or magic or whatever with the dampening field around this place, can you?"

"No, but if Emma comes, it's possible she may be able to find a way down or up into this room. We can hope for that. She's a smart woman."

Jefferson nodded. He was now also sitting up. "I . . .I. . . I regret what happened between Emma and myself. I was always treated so badly myself, except for what I had with Snow. I thought that how I was treated was how you treated other people. You took what you could, what you wanted from them. She and Snow have taught me differently, but I don't think Emma will ever forgive me."

"I doubt it, Jefferson. Even if she forgives, she won't forget."

"I think she likes you more than she likes me," he said suddenly.

Gold was hesitant. "We do seem to have a bond. If I followed what the Reul Ghorm was saying, Emma is one of several women selected because they were of a physical type that I. . .eh. . . preferred. And then these women were altered, bespelled, cursed if you will, to be. . . accepting of me. So what we have is not real."

"That's what you think may have happened between yourself and Belle."

"Oh, I know that what we have is not real. That was _my_ spell, my curse. I can't figure out how to free Belle from it. I've offered to let her go, but she says she doesn't want to. And I was so anxious to keep her around that I took no precautions. I wanted her to get pregnant. I made an effort to get her pregnant."

"If it helps any, Dark, she seems very happy with you and with the baby."

"But it's not real. She's going to wake up one morning and realize that she was manipulated and pushed and cursed into the relationship. I'm not so sure that what I've done to her is much different than what you did with Emma. It was just much more sophisticated and subtle."

"You know, you think too much. Why not just sit back and enjoy the ride. That's what Emma would tell you to do."

"And try to make the ride last for as long as possible."

+ + + + + _Reunion_

They did not meet anyone in the hallway. "This is a bit disconcerting." Emma had wanted Alice to stay back in the vehicle with the children, but they had all insisted on coming. Bae had insisted that the children would be helpful and, also, they had wanted to come. "Like a bloody Sunday afternoon picnic," Emma had complained under her breath. She glanced at her chronometer.

Bae had nearly laughed at her. "Remember, we've picked up these people to help us. These are not ordinary children. Nor is Alice just a confused teleporter. Emma, this is an extraordinary group. We can take care of ourselves and. . . I think, we will need each other before we're finished up here."

Henry spoke up. "It is a trap. I believe that they think we will all to get into the room where the magician and the other man are being held prisoner and then they take us prisoner, too."

"How do you know that?" Emma had to ask.

"I just know it. I can feel it." The boy looked right into her eyes. "And you know I'm telling the truth."

"I do. So do you have a better idea about what we should do?" _What the hell? Ask the spooky kid._

Grace spoke up. "Their cage - the bars go only up and down. We can get to them through the floor or the ceiling. We can rescue them going up or down. And the Fae aren't expecting us to do that."

"Which would be easier?" Bae asked the two children.

Henry and Grace looked at each other and Henry responded. "If we go bottom up, we risk having one of them come down on top of us. And, if the Fae figure out what we're doing, they could trap us in the basement. There are only a few ways up and out of the basement. If we go from the top down, we will have to pull them up. We could get trapped on the upper floor – but there are more ways out that we could go through if the Fae try to trap us there."

"Then let's go from the top down," Emma decided. Then out loud she asked herself, "But what can we use to get through?

"I can help with that," Alice spoke up. "I can make a rabbit hole. Then we just need a way to pull them up"

Emma wasn't very sure about this, but sighed. "All right. We'll see. We have to find them first."

"Well, that's easy enough. Can't you see the power cage they are in?" Grace asked.

Emma looked around, then up and down. "What am I looking for?"

"Red lines," Grace explained.

"Do you see anything?" Emma asked Bae.

He had also been looking around. "No, 'fraid not. We'll trust Grace on this one. Lead on, my dear." He flourished his hand and bowed, startling Emma. She had seen Gold give that same flourish and bow.

Grace led them into the building. They were in the south end of the building. Emma still thought it was strange that there were no other people around. She looked at her chronometer again. _It was almost time_.

Grace unwaveringly led them up some back stairs. She stopped in front of room 26. "They're under here," she told Emma and Bae. Emma carefully opened the door. It was an unoccupied typical sterile grey patient room complete with the pristine made-up bed, the table that slide under the bed and an extra chair.

Grace and Henry marked out the outline of the cage for them. They all stood in the center of the outline.

"OK, let's see this rabbit hole," Emma told Alice. "Can you make a hole down into the room?"

"Oh yes. There are holes all around and where's there's not, I can make one," Alice removed the blue ribbon from her hair. She knelt down and began to twirl it around and around. A small hole began to open up and grew larger. Emma could peer down into it. When she stopped twirling the ribbon, the hole remained. Alice had made it large enough to hoist an adult man's body through it.

The room below was dark. Maybe, maybe there were two figures in it.

"Gold," she called. "Jefferson." She tried to keep her voice down, but make it loud enough for them to hear. "It's Emma. Are you there?"

She heard Gold's voice come back up. "We're here. Throw us down a rope, princess."

Emma looked over at Bae who had stripped the bed and begun tying the sheets together. He anchored one end of the sheet to the bedpost in the room and dropped the other end down the hole.

Gold came up first, followed in a heartbeat by Jefferson. Both men stopped and gave Emma a hug. "We were afraid that you'd fall into their trap," Gold told her. "We had no way to communicate. They were waiting for me and caught us both."

"You dumb sh. . .," Emma glanced at the children and finished, "shipmate. How were you stupid enough to just walk into this trap? Thinking with your. . ." she hesitated again, "Your glands? Where's Belle?"

"With the Reul Ghorm, I'm afraid. And Belle's been altered. She may not know us."

"Well sh. . . " Emma looked at the children again. "shhhh. . .oot," she changed her words at the last moment. "OK. So we've still got to go get her. Oh yeah," she turned suddenly and pulled Baelfour over to her side. "Gold, this is your son. Bae, your father. Now come on, boys. We've got to go. I want to get these children out of here."

The two men stood a moment, still, looking at each other. Gold was struggling. _What to say? How to react? _This was an adult who was facing him. A stranger. Bae broke the tension, "Papa?"

"Yes, yes! Bae, I can see, I can see it's you!" The two men stood awkwardly and then gave each other a quick embrace.

"Got to go. Now," Emma barked at them. "Sorry, guys. You can catch up later."

She led them out of the empty patient's room and back down the stairs. She was moving stealthily, checking out what was around each corner before clearing it and allowing the remainder of the party to follow. Periodically she would check her chronometer.

"You keep looking at your watch," observed Bae. "What's up with that?"

"I'm expecting someone. They are due any time. But we've got to fend for ourselves until they get here," she answered him. She turned to Gold who was still gazing at his son. She snapped her fingers at him, "Hey, Gold! We need a plan to get Belle away from the Reul Ghorm. Any ideas?"

He shook his head. "She has been made a servant, like Astrid, for the Reul Ghorm. She may not remember us."

"Yeah, I heard you mention that," Emma groaned.

"I don't know if it's a spell or if she's permanently altered. But she has been changed."

"You've seen her?"

"No, but the Reul Ghorm came and told us that Belle was working with her and, what was it? She wasn't pining for me anymore."

"But you didn't see her?" Emma ascertained.

"No," Gold answered.

"So the Reul Ghorm could be blowing smoke?"

"I. . . I never thought of that."

"Well cr. . ." Emma glanced at the children again. "cr. . .crackers. You just believe what people tell you, don't you? You don't think there might be a teeny tiny chance that the Reul Ghorm's not telling you the truth? And you don't think there a chance that Belle's feelings for you are stronger than any spell or curse or voodoo magic that gets laid on her? Let's go find out. Give her a chance. Give your love a chance."

Gold looked at her. _Could he take the chance that their love was stronger? That's Belle's feelings for him were stronger than any spell? _"So your plan is . . . "

"Let's just go find her and get her." Emma was exasperated. "We've got help coming in and they aren't going to let a Confederation citizen be held against her will or accept that she's been doctored on without her permission."

Gold raised a small concern. "Belle's been declared legally dead. Does she still have rights?"

"Nolen was the one to declare her dead. He can declare her undead or live or whatever he needs to," Emma explained.

"So how do we find her?" Gold asked.

Emma hesitated, looking around and her eyes lit on the children, "Uh. . . kids. Listen. We're looking for a lady. Her name is Isobelle French. She's supposed to be with the Reul Ghorm. Can you _feel_ where she might be or even find the Reul Ghorm?"

Grace and Henry looked at each other.

"That's the nice lady," Henry said and Grace nodded. "She's been changed. But I think we can find her."

He stood still a moment. It was Grace who spoke up. "She's with the Reul Ghorm. They're both in her main office."

"Do you know where her main office is?" Emma asked.

Again the children looked at each other. Grace nodded.

"Then lead on," Emma directed them.

As they began walking down hallways, corridors, staircases and through open court areas, Emma continued to be hyper-vigilant, often stopping the children to check out areas before allowing them through. Jefferson had caught up with her.

"I thought you wanted to get the kids to safety?" he asked her.

"I do, but apparently I still need them to help find Belle."

"You know, this is probably another trap."

"Well, yeah, but at a certain point, you get tired of plans and sneaking around and just start kicking aaaa," again Emma glanced at the children, "Uhm. . . a door down."

It wasn't that far. They began to run into staff but Emma knew the same things as Jefferson. If you act like you know where you're going people tend to leave you alone.

The children stopped before going through a set of double doors.

"Her office is inside here," Henry told them. "Through the double doors, down a long corridor, through one large room and then through big wooden doors."

Emma directed them, "OK, Jefferson, here," she handed him one of her weapons and then gave another gun to Gold. "Jefferson, you stay with Bae, Alice and the kids. Gold and I will go in."

"Emma, I want to come. I want to help," Bae protested.

"I don't have a gun for you."

"She's not going to hurt me," Bae told her. He smiled at Emma, "I'm one of her favorites."

"Yeah, that may be true. But," she dropped her voice to a whisper. "If something happens to me, I want our child to have at least one parent."

Bae looked over at Henry and was obviously torn. "All right, missy, but take good care of yourself. Promise?"

"Absolutely."

Emma was surprised when Bae roughly pulled her to him and gave her a quick, hard kiss directly on the mouth. She turned away, just slightly staggered, and then she and Gold carefully opened one of the double doors and found the corridor Henry had spoken of. They started down the corridor together.

"That was cozy," Gold observed. "I'd like to know your intentions toward my son, missy. I hope they're honorable."

"Oh stuff it," Emma barked back at him. _But her lips were still tingling. Was Bae feeling what she was? _

The two made their way down the corridor. They carefully, quietly went down the hallway and as they turned a corner they encountered a young solder. He quickly drew his weapon.

"Hold up, monster," he addressed Gold. He had a weapon trained on Gold.

"Monster? Monster, is it?" Gold retorted. "And just who might you be that you think you can insult me with impunity?"

"I am Officer Gaston, personal attaché to King George of Dale. "I have come to rescue my fiancée from your filthy clutches."

Gold looked down at his hands. "Gaston, you say. The oaffish fiancé?" he questioned, somewhat surprised.

Gaston scowled at him. "I am the fiancé," he confirmed. "General French told me that Miss Belle was still alive and I have tracked her down to save her. King George took me into his service. No matter what you've done to her, I am prepared to forgive her and I will take her back."

"You forgive her," Gold restated, not impressed and under his breathe he muttered, "Oaf."

He stepped back from the irate young man who was brandishing a gun in his direction. Gingerly, Gold reached out and gently, using two fingers, pushed the barrel of the gun away from himself. "Now, Gaston, understand, the lady made her choice. I'm not keeping her against her will."

"And where is she now?"

"The Fae have her. I'm trying to rescue her from them. You're welcome to help," Gold invited him to accompanying himself and Emma.

"I hardly think so. Do you actually expect me to believe you?"

Gold was momentarily stunned. "Well, yes. That's the truth. Emma, you tell him."

Emma smiled, "We are here to rescue Belle, Gaston. You're welcome to help and then you can hear from the lady herself who she wants to go with."

"That won't be necessary," Gaston primly informed them. "I've heard all about you, Dr. Gold. I know what a monster, a depraved debaucher of young women you are."

"He's got you there," Emma told Gold, speaking through her teeth. "I think it's your turn to share your honorable intentions."

"Oh stuff it, princess," Gold wasn't pleased.

"Well, it's not like you've offered to marry her or anything," Emma got in another shot.

Gaston was not to be distracted. He had raised the gun again. "I am determined, sir. I refuse to be intimidated and I will take Belle back."

"Oh this is too tiresome," Gold said, suddenly exasperated. He raised his hands but Emma spoke up quickly.

"Don't do it, Gold. Belle wouldn't approve. You know that."

"Belle doesn't have to know." He had paused but had not taken his eyes off the young soldier.

"But she will find out," Emma warned him.

"Only if you tell her," he prepared to make another gesture.

"Don't, please," Emma begged him.

Gold looked over at her, remaining poised. Gaston watched the interchange, ignorant of the threat hanging over his life.

Gold gave her a slow smile. "You'll owe me a favor."

Emma felt sweat break out on the back of her neck. She swallowed. _Owe Gold a favor? She knew what his favors entailed, the hold he would have over her. She knew what happened to people who owed him a favor. She knew what happened to those who didn't pay up. Was this pompous self-important pumpkin head worth what it could cost her? How could Belle have ever actually been in love with him?_ She shivered. _What would Gold have her do? _She took a deep breath, a very deep breath, "All right. You spare him and I'll owe you a favor."

She watched Gold. His smile widened. "A deal then, princess. You owe me."

"Nothing illegal," Emma tried to get things clarified.

"You'll be able to pay when the time comes," he assured her.

"What are you two talking about?" Gaston demanded.

"I just saved your life, you idiot," Emma told him. "Now," she reached forward and removed his gun, moving so fast and so swiftly that he didn't make a move to stop her. "OK fellow. Listen up. Gold here would have killed you with a snap of his fingers. I just talked him out of it. Get your stuff and get out of here."

Gaston postured, apparently not having a clue as to how thin the ice was that he was standing on. "But I insist on remaining. I came to rescue Belle and rescue her I shall."

"Oh crap," Emma replied. "Well come along then." Holding onto Gaston's weapon, she led both men on down the corridor and into the large room she assumed was just off the primary office.

**A.N: I assume everyone caught the blatant references to Lewis Carroll's writing (hardly my own work). **

**Thanks (as always) to my reviewers: tigger64 (who's new on my scene- thank you), thedoctorsgirl42, Grace5231973, nightmaregirl, Seramarias (I was taught that a population as small as 30 could make a breeding population – provided there was carefully controlled reproduction) and Jaybird6 (who long ago gave me the idea of introducing Gaston back into the storyline, thx). We are closing in on my grand finale here – two, maybe three more chapters (I'm guessing/hoping new story ideas will bloom forth as the new season starts).**

_NEXT: The Confrontation (probably not what you think will happen)_

_Belle makes a choice_

_Emma gets a kiss_


	18. Confrontation

+ + + + _Confrontation_

Gold stopped Emma before she left the corridor.

"Emma," he was whispering. He spoke intensely, focusing all his attention on her. "We can't take down the Reul Ghorm."

"What? Why not? We have weapons. There are more of us. What's she gonna do?"

He gave her a thin smile. "She can . . . neutralize us . . . with a thought. Transport us. Evaporate us. Disintegrate us. Kill us. Without blinking. Please, please, please, be cautious. We are here to talk her into getting Belle back and getting her back whole. If we plan to take her down, it can't be a frontal attack, especially not when she's ready for us."

She folded her arms. "Are you wimping out on me, here, at the eleventh hour? I thought you wanted to kill her?"

"Yeah, I do," he agreed. "But understand. She and I have a bit of a history. We threaten each other, every so often we actually try to kill each other. We talk a mean game. And every so often we hurt each other, but, we've tried, we've tried to kill each other and it doesn't work. We're too well matched, with or without help."

Emma looked hard at the man. "Are you a coward? Are you afraid? This is something worth dying for. Taking that bitch out."

"Maybe so, but understand. This may not be the time or place."

Emma shook her head, not believing what she was hearing from him. "OK, we'll play it your way, but if we have a chance. . ." she insisted.

"If we have a chance," Gold finally agreed. Under his breath he said, "You don't understand. You just don't understand."

They left the corridor, going into what appeared to be a very large, somewhat luxurious waiting area. Considering the Reul Ghorm's status, Emma wasn't surprised.

It was early evening and no one else was in there. She, Gold and Gaston quietly made their way back into the other side of the room and up to a large ornate wooden door. Emma made some motions to Gold, first pointing at the door, then waving her hands in one of his own flourishing gestures and then abruptly expanding them.

Gold understood what she was asking and nodded. He motioned for the other two to stand back, as did he.

He gave a quick gesture at the door, launched a fireball at it and the door exploded inwards. He amazingly muffled the sound so it was all flash and light and nothing was heard. He then gave a bow and a flourish and motioned for Emma to precede him.

Impressed, Emma gave him a thumbs up and leaned in with a quick kiss for his cheek as she went by.

Gaston stood a moment with his mouth opened and his eyes wide. After waiting for him to move on into the room, Gold just gave a shrug, and left him standing outside. Cautiously, Gold went on into the office.

The Reul Ghorm was sitting behind her desk. Her face was impassive as she watched the debris from her large wooden door slowly float down around her, ash and embers filling the room. Belle stood by her side, her eyes widened in amazement. Belle had been dressed in the clinging, flowing garments typical of the Fae and her rounded stomach was definitely showing.

"You could have just knocked," the Reul Ghorm told them. "You didn't have to break my little door. Come in. Come in. I've been expecting you."

Emma came on into the room, her gun held visibly at her side.

"Emma Swan, I assume. It's lovely to finally meet you. Oh, but I do believe that we have met before, briefly, what is it now? a couple of months ago. Sit down. Sit down. If you can find a place." Her face showed dismay at the ashes and smoldering soot that was filling the room. She motioned with her hands. "Rumplestiltskin. You come in too. I trust you will be on your best behavior from this point on."

Belle remained quiet and still, standing behind the Reul Ghorm with no trace of recognition in her face.

Emma kept her gun leveled on the Reul Ghorm. Gold was stone-faced.

"We just wanted to get Belle back and leave," Emma told the Fae leader.

"I really doubt that it is just that," she replied to Emma. "You have already taken a number of my most precious constructs."

"That's what you call them?" Emma was appalled.

"Well, it does sound better than 'experimental subjects,' does it not?"

"It's still pretty nasty, however nice you try to make it sound."

"Uh hum," the Reul Ghorm was not intimidated. "I think that Rumplestiltskin or what is it you call him? Dr. Gold? I think that Dr. Gold has not explained to you about magic and weapons, has he?" She leaned over to Emma. "They're not very useful here. Dear, why don't you try firing your weapon? You can aim it at my head."

Emma was unsure of how to respond to this. She was sure the Reul Ghorm would not be putting her own life in danger. But how could she pass up such an opportunity? She leaned towards Gold, speaking to him, all the while keeping her eyes on the Blue Fae. "What should I do?"

"Give it a go, Emma. What do you have to lose?" he told her.

Emma wasn't so sure. "With this woman there could be some kind of backlash and whatever I dish out could come back on me. But, I can't pass this up," and with a quick motion Emma lifted her gun and fired, at point blank range, right at the Reul Ghorm's head.

And nothing happened.

She was able to pull the trigger but there was no click, no surge, no response. Emma made a face at her gun and abruptly threw the weapon at the Reul Ghorm's head. It didn't connect, bouncing away from the Reul Ghorm's body before making contact.

"You see. Weapons are useless here."

"How would it work if I got my hands around your throat?" Emma asked angrily.

"Try it, Emma?"

Emma hesitated, but now she was remembering all of Gold's warnings. _Transport. . . Evaporate. . . Disintegrate. _She dropped back.

"I think not," the Reul Ghorm told her. "Not going to happen, my dear. I'm sorry. And, oh yes, before we go any further. Your 'help' did come in a bit earlier. Belle, be a dear and let him in."

Belle quietly went over to a door behind the Reul Ghorm. She opened it and in came King George.

"I don't think Captain Nolen is going to make it," the Reul Ghorm said sorrowfully. "He's all right, of course, but he's been delayed. Something about some planet's atmosphere catching fire. Emergency situation. And that other one, Captain Ruby? She's been delayed, also. Apparently her paperwork is not quite in order and she'll be spending the night in a little facility I run at a nearby planet. She'll be released tomorrow when things get straightened out."

"Sorry, Rumplestiltskin," King George apologized (although he didn't actually seem to be all that sorry). "We came as you had requested but our ships' weapons systems were completely neutralized as soon as we went into orbit. We can't fire or do much of anything."

"Is that right?" Gold did not sound quite convinced. _He did not quite believe that the King's weapon's system had been neutralized, but knew it was just, maybe just, possible. The Reul Ghorm was just that powerful. More likely though, George had made a deal with the Fae and they were protecting him. Clever way for him to meet the letter of the deal but not the spirit of it. Gold had already known of, and perhaps even a little respected, that aspect of George's personality – almost as good at deal-making as he was. _

"King George, you may return to your people. I expect that Rumplestiltskin will consider your debt to him fully paid, even though you were not able to render the help he had thought you would." She looked over at Gold. "Isn't that correct?"

When he didn't answer immediately, she persisted. "Isn't that correct?"

"Yeah, what the hell," he pouted, then brightened up. "I got another favor granted this evening. I can let him go," Gold finally responded. The Reul Ghorm looked at him sharply but said nothing as they all watched King George graciously raise the hand of the Reul Ghorm and give it a slight kiss before exiting the way he had entered.

Then she glanced over at Emma. "You weren't the one, were you, Emma? Were you the one to make the deal with him?" she was clearly concerned. "You didn't, did you?"

Emma hung her head. "Yeah, I was afraid he would kill Gaston here."

Reul Ghorm nearly shouted, "What?!"

Gold gave a slight shrug. "A deal's a deal, ladies. It's already been made."

The Reul Ghorm shook her head. "I keep forgetting what a dark, conniving entity you are. Understand, Rumplestiltskin, I won't tolerate you hurting Emma Swan, she is one of my best creations."

"Well,_ I_ too am only what you made _me_," he responded.

She was not pleased with his surly response.

Gaston had been edging his way into the office, witnessing the dismissal of King George and the admission of Emma and Gold's deal. But then he saw Belle and immediately went to her.

"My dearest darling. I came here with King George. I'm here to rescue you," he told her.

"Who are you?" Belle asked him.

Gaston's face fell. He shook his head, "What have they done to you?"

"Who are you?" Belle asked him again.

"Your fiancé," Gaston explained. "I'm here to rescue you."

Gold glared at him, but didn't say anything..

"My fiancé? Rescue me?" Belle's hands went to her stomach. Gaston did not notice the gesture. Belle was clearly puzzled. "What are you rescuing me from?"

Gaston pointed to Gold, "Him," then hesitated and pointed to the Reul Ghorm, "Her."

"Him? I don't know him either. And I don't want to be rescued," Belle protested. "I like it here."

"But my dear, we all want you to come home and be with your family. All is forgiven."

Belle turned to the Reul Ghorm. "Madame, help me please. What is he talking about?"

The Reul Ghorm smiled. "My dear, Belle. You have, at one time or another in your life, been in love with these two men. They are both obviously still in love with you. You must decide. You can stay with me or you can pick one to be with."

"How would I chose? How can I know what to do?" Belle asked.

"Easy enough. If the man is truly in love with you, he will be able to return all of your memories to you. It will just take a kiss. If his love isn't true, the kiss won't work."

"A kiss and I will have all my memories back?" Belle asked.

"Only if you want it, too," The Reul Ghorm told her. "You will be free to decide what you want to do." She gave a quick side look to Gold.

"And I can stay with you if I don't want to go with one of them?" Belle asked to be sure.

"Absolutely," she was assured. "If you want to stay with me, you certainly can."

"What game are you playing?" Gold asked her, suddenly aware of the shift in the stakes. _This was for Belle, right now, it was all for Belle._

The Reul Ghorm smiled at him, "Just what I said. She is free to decide what she wants to do."

Belle looked at the two men. She hesitated a moment, then drew towards Gaston.

"I will try a kiss from each of them. I think I would like that. I shall begin with the pretty one," Belle said and placed herself in front of Gaston.

Gaston waited only a moment before putting his hands on Belle's arms and moving in to kiss her directly on the mouth. It was quick, dry and without passion.

The kiss lasted only a moment before she pulled away. She looked at him. . . then shook her head.

She hesitantly turned to Gold. He smiled at her and slowly ran a hand up her arm. He watched her face. She was biting her lower lip, a behavior he had only ever seen when she was very, very nervous.

"You seem frightened," he told her. She gave him a timid nod, affirming his statement.

"I think you were a little afraid of me. . . at first," he whispered to her. He slowly leaned in and kissed her lightly on the neck, at the sensitive point where the neck and shoulder met. He felt her shiver. _Everything, everything depended on this. For the first time, in a very long time, he knew what to do._

"Well are you going to kiss her or not?" Gaston asked.

"Oaf," Gold murmured and then responded, "Oh, I'm going to kiss her," Gold promised. He trailed kisses up her neck and along her jawline, slowly, surely moving towards her mouth. He had pulled her into his body, holding her by the waist and shifting his other hand so that he held her head, twining his fingers into her head. She had relaxed into him and was allowing him to take the lead. Very gently, when he reached her mouth with his, he began to press his lips into hers, coaxing her mouth open. It was but a moment before he heard her give a soft cry into his mouth, that same sweet cry she would give when he would take possession of her. He felt her holding onto him, clinging to him, her small, delicate hands curling around his arms, moving up to hold onto his shoulders.

Emma folded her arms. She shook her head. _The man was a fantastic kisser. She knew that first-hand. _She looked over at the Reul Ghorm, but she didn't seem upset. _Had she wanted this too? Was she _helping_ them? Emma couldn't believe that, not unless, unless Belle and Gold declaring their love also served the Reul Ghorm too. No, the Reul Ghorm wasn't losing here. She was winning. . . what? _

He heard Belle speaking, softly, "Rum?"

"Yes, Belle?" he asked.

"I love you," she told him.

"And I love you," he responded.

Gaston was shaking his head, "You can't be serious, Belle. Why would you want this creature, this monster? He has taken you away from everything you hold dear. Your family, me, the life you had. Please, reconsider, please come back with me." He pleaded with her. "Your father and I are ready to have you back. All is forgiven."

"What are you forgiving? I met the man of my dreams and I want to stay with him? I don't want or need forgiveness for being happy," Belle protested.

"I'm the man of your dreams?" Gold asked, hearing her comment.

"Of course dear, now hush a moment, please," Belle asked him.

Gaston had finally gotten a good look at Belle and stared harshly over at Gold. "Are you responsible for that?" he asked him.

"No, I think she got that herself," Gold responded.

"She got herself pregnant?" Gaston was outraged.

"Oh that. I thought you were talking about the attitude." Gold said welcoming the clarification. "No, that," he pointed to Belle's protruding tummy, "I _am_ responsible for that." He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "And I enjoyed every minute of it."

Belle shook her head, admonishing him, but she was smiling.

Gaston abruptly took a swing at him, which the older man easily ducked. When he tried, unsuccessfully, to take another poke at the magician, both Belle and Emma tried to intervene.

"Are you a crazy man?" asked Emma, collaring him and putting her other hand against his kidney.

"Stop it, stop it this instance," ordered Belle.

"Sir, I will insist that you do not engage in physical confrontation in my office," the Reul Ghorm spoke up and when Gaston persisted in trying to strike out at Gold, she waved her hand and immobilized the brash young man. He slumped in Emma's hands and she let him go. He somehow managed to stay on his feet but was unable to move.

"All right," she addressed the group that was now populating her office. "I need everyone to listen to me."

Reluctantly the group stilled and turned their attention to her.

She nodded at Belle. "Now, Belle may go or stay with whomever she chooses."

Gold spoke up, "Maybe she should go with Gaston."

Belle was stricken. "What? No! I just told you I loved you and I heard you say that you loved me. And you don't want me to stay with you? Why are you sending me away?"

"Because, in so many ways, I'm still a monster, Belle. And you are under a curse, a spell, maybe more than one. What we have is not real," he tried to explain.

"You really don't care about me?" Belle managed to ask.

He didn't answer right away. "It's your feelings that aren't real. I did things to you to make you feel as you do. She," he nodded at the Reul Ghorm, "did things to you," he was having a difficult time trying to explain. "The curse, the genetic manipulation. What you feel is not the real thing."

Belle was trying not to cry. _How could he do this? Why would he do this?_

The Reul Ghorm was sitting and watching the two. "You surprise me, Rumplestiltskin. I didn't think you had it in you. You are actually trying to do the right thing. You have grown so much. I'm impressed."

He turned away from her, not wanting her to see how much grief he was feeling at doing the "right thing."

"But perhaps you should know the extent of my modifications with your young lady."

He looked up sharply.

"I did alter her. At first I did take away her memories. It served my purpose at that moment. But remember that ultimately what I want is the match between two human-fae constructs, like yourselves. It will help things for you two to acknowledge what is really between you." She rose and went over to Belle. "I also removed any shred of the genetic tinkering that makes you compellingly attractive to her and also that little curse you had put on her. Anything, everything she feels is real. Any choice she makes is entirely of her own choosing."

Gold was looking back and forth between the two women. "But then, if she wants to be with me. . . "

"It's because she wants to be with you," the Reul Ghorm confirmed.

"And you're going to let us all go?" he wasn't so sure of this.

"As much as I ever let anything go." She responded. "As far as I'm concerned this experiment has been a success. Since Generation Eight we had quite a number that were exactly what we wanted, human-Fae individuals who were able to reproduce. Emma came from two of these, although with Generation Nine we still mostly stayed focused on augmenting humans. With Generation Ten, we've had two offspring, and" she looked at Belle, "We are about to have our third. Our information says that those Emma has taken off-world will be successful in reproducing. Including the ones we have previously let go or put out, if you will, well, there are now about a hundred of our successes now out there, off world. The Fae will live on within our human hosts. We'll continue to see humans with our talents and they will thrive and continue our species." She sat herself down again.

"That's it?" Emma asked. "It's all ok now. We can just go?!"

Gold took Emma by the arm, "Yes, Emma, we should just go," he added quietly, "before she changes her frickin' mind."

"What the fu. . . ? After everything she's done? The lives, the manipulations, the threats. We're just going to say 'it's ok' and walk out of here?!"

The Reul Ghorm smiled at her, "Emma Swan. You are quite the success story yourself. I hope you are able to find some measure of happiness." She smiled brightly at Emma who scowled at her.

"You're a bitch," Emma addressed her directly. "You manipulate people's lives and think it's all ok because there's this grand purpose to it."

"That's what we all do, my dear, to some extent or another. I was just more aware of what I was doing and my purpose for doing it."

"Yeah, those are the big differences," Emma responded sarcastically. "And you think we're just going to walk out of here?"

"That was my plan all along, for you to get the others off world with the awareness of what they were. You would be able to leave, with or without Belle, depending on what choice she made." She leaned forward, "You must know I was expecting her to pick Rumplestiltskin. I think those two are an excellent couple."

Emma was shaking her head, "Well for all that, you could have just asked us to come and get everybody. A simple 'come on and get your kids and other members, more or less, of your species,' would have sufficed."

"But where's the fun in that?" the Reul Ghorm was still smiling at Emma. "You have got to be one of my best constructs, my dear. Absolutely superb." She waved at them all from her chair, "Now off you all go. I want to clean up my office." She turned to Emma again and said quite seriously, "You have no jurisdiction here, my dear. I am in absolute control."

Emma was still fuming, "You must know I'm going to do everything I can to put your people into quarantine and shut you off from contact with others. I'll be petitioning to have the Fae declared a dangerous species and one to be avoided," Emma told her.

"Emma," Gold said, "Be quiet."

Emma turned her attention to him. "I don't understand you! After what she did to you, to Belle! How can you tell me to be quiet? I think we sh. . ."

She slumped forward and Gold just barely caught her.

"She doesn't know. She has no idea," he explained quickly. "Such a move to criminalize being Fae would hurt her and all those people she's just rescued. I'll try to explain it to her," he promised.

"It is that sense of honor and decency, one of her strongest traits, that is both her strength and her weakness" agreed the Reul Ghorm.

Gold nodded, "She's better than either of us. She _is_ one of your best designs." He turned to leave, carrying the unconscious Emma. "Well played, dear. You used us. You were ready for all your constructs to leave and you used us to get them off world. You were ready for these people to know who and what they were, weren't you"

The Reul Ghorm just smiled at him, "Rumplestiltskin," she called after him. "Good luck dear. I hope this relationship works out for you. I really do."

"I understand. It's one of the other things you've been working for."

"You believed in it. too, at one time, long, long ago."

"Did I?" He searched his own memories, but there was nothing.

Still carrying the unconscious Emma, Gold grasped Belle's hand and took them back out of the office.

Gaston had remained behind. He simply stood, somewhat bewildered in the Reul Ghorm's office. She unfroze him.

"Can I help you, young man?"

"Explain it to me," he asked her. "Why would Belle pick him?"

"True love, Gaston. The most powerful magic there it," she added quietly to herself, "And one that is tricky and difficult to manipulate." She looked back up at him. "Can I help you in any way?"

"I don't really have anything to go home to," Gaston confessed. "I'd promised everyone I would bring Belle home and now. . . There's nothing."

"Well, you're a handsome enough fellow. I venture, I can find some position for you if you wish to stay here."

"Yes, ma'am," he straightened up and saluted.

+ + + + + _Reunion_

They caught up to Bae, Jefferson, Alice and the two children soon enough.

"What happened?" Jefferson asked, not failing to notice the unconscious Emma.

"She's letting us all go," Belle answered.

"Come on, come on, before she changes her mind," Gold prodded the others along. He handed the unconscious Emma over to Bae, who quite willingly took her off his hands. Gold motioned to Jefferson to lead the way.

And now, Belle and Gold seemed to be having difficulties not touching each other. Every time Jefferson hesitated going around a corner, he would turn and catch them hugging.

"Maybe you two can get a room. There'll be time for that later," he pushed them along.

Emma began to moan and shake her head. Bae stopped a moment to put her on her feet. She leaned into him not quite ready to support her own weight. Unable to resist the soft, yielding woman, Bae pulled her to him and gave her another, yet more lingering kiss on the lips. She was so surprised she didn't immediately do anything but then seemed to give in to it and then seemed to respond to the kiss. It was a moment before she popped him on the ears causing him to break his grip on her.

"That's out of line," she finally managed to say, stepping back from him.

"Yeah, but well worth it," Bae told her, rubbing his ears. "Well worth it."

She turned on Gold, "What the hell did you do to me back there?"

"You were about to piss off the most dangerous entity in the quadrant, hell in the entire galaxy. I needed you to shut up."

"But somebody needed to tell her that what she's done is wrong and there will be retribution."

"Emma, listen, I told you that even I don't dare go up against her directly, unless I can make is short and quick. Certainly I don't have a chance standing on the woman's home ground with people I care about as easy targets in the room. She was willing to let us go. I said, let's go."

"So, we're just going to walk away," she wanted to know.

"With everybody we came for and more. We're going to let it go," he finished up for her. His eyes had turned black with his intensity. "You heard her too. The experiment is a wrap."

Jefferson intervened. "Hey, you two, quit fooling around. We've got to get six people into a vehicle designed for four, then back to Gold's transport ship." Jefferson turned to Gold, "I hope you remember where you parked it." He was still directing the entire group.

"Belle can sit in my lap," Gold spoke up.

"If someone else can drive, I'll take Miss Alice in mine," Jefferson added. "If she doesn't mind," he added looking longingly at the pretty blue-eyed blonde.

She smiled shyly back at him. "I don't mind," she answered.

"Oh, I'll be driving," Emma spoke up, still sounding pretty angry. There were apparently little to no ill effects from the brief period of unconsciousness Gold had caused her.

"Then I will hold Grace," Bae shared "and Henry should be able to squeeze in somewhere. Do we have far to go?"

"Not far," Gold answered. His eyes had gone back to Belle.

+ + + + + _News_

_Happy_ was not designed for this many people, which still included the odd twenty or so pod-people, but everyone managed to step over and around each other for the duration of the short trip to rendezvous with Ruby's pirate vessel, recently released from the hold the Reul Ghorm had put on it. Ruby was glad to see her husband again and warmly greeted him. She had no problems accepting the refugees aboard her ship and giving them all passage back to the former pirate world.

"Oh yes, baby news," she shared before stepping off.

"For you?" Belle asked excitedly.

"Not yet," Ruby shook her head. "but Snow let me know that she's expecting a little bundle and, you will never, ever, ever guess who else."

Belle and Emma considered. "I have no idea. Who?" Emma finally asked.

"Astrid," Ruby shared.

Gold had overheard. "But that's not possible! She's full-blooded Fae."

"I don't know how it happened. I just know what I've been told," Ruby said.

Gold was shaking his head. Bae, who had overheard this conversation asked, "Is this Astrid, the Reul Ghorm's former assistant?"

"Yeah, you know her?"

"I do. She was the first. She had no special designation, but I know when they first started with this whole experiment, they overlaid a Fae, Astrid, with human DNA. It didn't work well and Astrid was never quite right afterwards. Apparently the human DNA did a lot of damage, even though, apparently, as it turned out, it eventually worked for their greater goal. The Fae never repeated the experiment and turned to a model where they put Fae DNA into humans rather than human DNA into Fae."

"And then the Reul Ghorm kept Astrid safe," Emma observed.

"Yeah. She felt responsible and wanted her to be safe and sound," Bae agreed.

"Wow, so that eventually worked out the way the Reul Ghorm wanted it to anyway," Belle observed.

"Yeah and that totally sucks," summarized Emma. When everyone turned to look at her, Emma explained, "Well that bitch is getting everything she wanted, despite seriously screwing with people. It's not right that she comes out of this with no consequences.

"Not letting it go," Gold reminded her.

**A.N. When I wrote my original draft, I'd had concerns about Gold trying to send Belle away after he re-awakens her memories (as part of his on-going difficulties seeing himself as someone worthy of love) – I thought it might be just a bit over the top. But darned if they didn't do it on the premiere 2-1 episode, so I went ahead and kept it in. **

**As always thanks to Notsureyet18, tigger64 , Jaybird6, BrittanyLS, and Seramarias (I really like your reviews – you're someone else who needs to be producing your own stories – give me a pm if you get any off the ground). **

**Closing in on the ending, probably about two chapers from now – loose ends to wrap up. **

_Next: Emma and Bae (mostly) (still keeping the T rating – but maybe pushing the limits . . . again). txm_

Final A.N. Alright, I can't help it. A moment of shameless self-promotion. For my 18+ year old readers, I've put out a one-shot M rated (definitely M rated) liaison between Gold and Regina (keeping The Alchemist story T rated has apparently taken a toll on me and a lot of pent up frustration spilled out in this unrelated tale). Should be humorous (if you like that kind of thing). It's called _The Magic Word_. Reviews are only trickling in on this one and there's no sustained feeding going on (with new chapters), so if you get the chance (and have any interest in tawdry smut) let me know if you like it (thx already to Notsureyet18). txm


	19. A Card Game

+ + + + + _A Card Game_

Now that the refugees were gone, there was a problem with the sleeping quarters. There were three functional bedrooms and four females and four males. Emma immediately bailed on a room, assuring everyone that she would have no problem sleeping in the cockpit of the ship. Everyone assumed that Gold would insist on sharing sleeping quarters with Belle, which he did. This left Grace and Alice in one room and Jefferson, Henry and Bae in another. It was a bit crowded for the men, but they didn't seem to mind. Bae was glad of an excuse to try to spend some time with Henry, trying to get to know the shy, clever child. He was too somber, too serious by half.

It was less than a week's time after dropping off the pod-people that Bae took a moment and managed to construct a checker board, find some odds and ends to use as tokens and was able to teach the child, _as his father had taught him_, how to play. Henry was very quick and Bae soon found himself with a serious opponent. Henry had inherited planning and subterfuge skills from both parents, he realized. They were sitting in the common area when Gold came in and saw what they were doing. He sat behind Henry and would occasionally give the child advice on what move to make, often explaining the options. Bae remembered his father doing the same thing with him and from time to time he would look up to find the man looking at him. Silently, quietly, the two men were assessing each other.

"Do you know other games, sir?" Henry asked eagerly.

"Quite a few. My father taught me," Bae responded softly. _Could this poor child ever relax?_

"Would you teach me, please?" Henry asked.

"I'd like that," Bae answered. "I'll have to see if I can find some playing cards."

"I think I can provide some," Gold reached into his pocket and Bae, with his own abilities, limited when compared to his father's, could feel the slight energy Gold invested. He pulled out a new deck of cards and handed it off.

"If we could get a fourth, we could try playing something more challenging," Bae suggested. "Let me get Emma." He rose and coerced a protesting Emma over to the card table.

"I'm no good at cards," she insisted.

Gold caught her eye. "Liar," he called her on it._This was the woman who had paid her way through college with playing poker._

"Well, not regular card games with no money exchanging hands," she clarified.

"That's all right. You and Henry can learn together. Let's try Hearts," Bae insisted.

"Seems appropriate," murmured Gold.

Bae realized quickly that for all her lack of experience with the specific game, Emma was an extraordinarily clever card player. She quickly ascertained what cards others were holding _was she mind-reading? _and began to rapidly force points onto others. He began to enjoy watching the woman's keen mind in action as she seemed to calibrate and calculate the best moves. Gold caught his eye again and gave him a slight smile. Even Henry was able to see that this woman was probably the best card player in the group, despite her lack of experience.

"You're really good Emma," Henry told her.

"I think that you are all being gentlemen and letting me win," she replied. "What a bunch of sweeties." She rose and leaned over to give Henry a kiss on the forehead. "Now, this was fun but I have got to go. I have really got work to do," she excused herself.

After she disappeared back into the cockpit area, Bae said to Henry. "Now that is real lady for you, Henry. She just kicked all our butts, but she made us feel good about it."

"She is quite a lady, quite a handful, too," Gold agreed. "Are you considering getting to know her better?" he asked Bae.

"Oh absolutely," Bae assured him. "Any advice?"

It was Henry that spoke up, "Don't ladies like flowers and candy and jewelry and poetry?"

"Usually," Gold agreed. "I think Miss Emma might like all those things, but she'll say she doesn't. She likes honesty, generosity, and loyalty. Of course Bae, you could just grab her and put her in a lip-lock. She'd probably fight you like a wildcat. There's also a good chance that she'd drive a knife into you, but I really don't think she'd shoot you. And I think she would kiss you back at some point," Gold expanded. "Bae, would you like me to tell Henry a bedtime story while you go and. . . um. . . " he hesitated.

Again, it was Henry that spoke up. "Go and try to get Miss Emma to like you back."

"Yeah, Henry. That's a great idea," Bae agreed. "And that's a yes to the bedtime story, if it's something Henry wants."

"Oh please sir," Henry said. "I love stories. Tell me one with a happy ending."

"All right." Bae could hear Gold begin. "Once upon a time, there was a very beautiful queen who had a very beautiful baby daughter. The daughter had hair as black as a forest of ebony trees in winter, skin as white as the new fallen snow and lips as red as blood."

Bae left the two together as Henry listened raptly to the story.

He tapped on the door of the cockpit. Emma was reclined in the captain's chair, monitoring the ship as it made its way back to the pirate world.

"That was fun, Emma," he began. He was surprised when he sat down beside her and noticed that she was crying.

"I don't know how to tell him. Bae, how do I tell the child that I'm his mother? How do I explain it? I don't entirely understand it myself." She took a great gulp of air and wiped the tears off her face. "I never thought of myself as maternal, and I just met him, but I'm feeling this incredible bond."

"You know the Reul Ghorm put a trigger in you," Bae told her.

"I know she did some stuff to me, but I didn't begin to understand it all. . . at all."

"They had created my father to mate with the Fae, but when they found the Fae couldn't tolerate him, they began to create Fae-human female hybrids that found him tolerable and then implanted triggers in some of these females so that they would find him more than just tolerable. They would find him very attractive, irresistible in point of fact."

Emma considered this. "Do I have one of those triggers? Then that's why I . . . well, I. . ." she struggled to finish. She looked up at Bae. "Right after Belle was captured, I found out that I was in the database and I went to Gold. He . . . comforted me, we . . . comforted each other and somehow, neither one of us meant to, but somehow we ended up kissing. I mean, really kissing each other." She couldn't keep looking at him. "We stopped before, before anything else happened. But your father kisses really well, really, really well. And I feel so guilty. I don't know how he feels. I don't feel right telling Belle. She would feel so betrayed, maybe because she was betrayed." Emma was still crying.

"You still find my father attractive even though he's with your best friend," Bae finished gently. But now it was his turn to hesitate, "Emma, you know I was essentially plugged into the data base and I do know somewhat of how this trigger works. It's linked in with a response to a specific Y chromosome."

It dawned on Emma what he was saying. "So I was _changed_ to have this attraction happen? I've got one of those triggers. And so, I also have this attraction to you and to Henry, all because you carry the same Y chromosome?" She leaned back in the chair. "Well, I guess that explains some things." She sniffed.

"Emma, I'm not under any kind of spell or trigger and I will tell you that I am attracted to you. But I don't want to take advantage of any compulsion that you may be under."

Emma sat quietly for a long time. Bae was about ready to leave, defeated for the evening, when her heard her say, "I don't know how to stop thinking about you."

"Come again?" _Did he hear her correctly?_

"I think about you all the time. I keep remembering what it felt like when you had me underneath you right after you had awakened from the cryogenic sleep. I keep imagining how that would feel if you were a lover and not some confused angry guy in a stupor. I keep remembering the handful of kisses you've given me, how my lips feel, how my body feels when you touch me."

"Good, I hope?" he asked.

She gave a tight smile. "Really good. Too good." She was shaking her head, "I'm not ready for this."

"What's to get ready for?" he whispered.

"You," she whispered back. "I'm not ready for you."

Bae sat back in the co-pilot's chair. "Emma, please understand. I have never had what you might call a 'normal' relationship with a woman, with anyone for that matter, except my father. . . and I believe you know him." he gave Emma a slight smile. "I've been a prisoner of the Fae since I was fourteen. They would periodically bring me out of stasis to see if I might be able to father a child on one of their kind. And then when I was unsuccessful with the Fae, they would then have me out every so often to see if I was . . . uh. . . compatible with one of their other hybrid females."

"That kinda explains your reaction to me when I brought you out of stasis," Emma told him.

"I just thought you were another one in a long line of women that I had to service without any emotional commitment, understanding, attachment or anything. It's not easy for me. I don't want to rush you. Hell, Emma _I_ don't want to be rushed. I don't exactly know what I'm doing here, but I would like to see if we might, maybe, could have something together."

Emma looked hard at Bae. "Wow, for someone who has had no socialization, you know just the right things to say. I can't decide if you are totally for real or if you have some psychic talent and so you know what to say to get into my pants. I've been around your father long enough to see him act the total butthole and then turn around and be just the most delightful charmer."

Bae looked hurt. "Do you think I'm just saying these things because I want to have a casual fling with you? Oh, Emma, you underestimate your appeal."

She leaned back. "OK, I'll admit I'm attracted to you. Trigger thing or not, it _feels_ real. But I'm not just going to fall into bed with you 'cause I get a couple of hot flashes and my lady parts do a flippy-foldy thing."

"Not asking you to," he reminded her. "But it's good to know about the lady parts thing," he added kindly.

"Right. Why don't we do a couple of meals together, maybe a walk in a sunset along a beach somewhere, find some mutual interests?"

"I'd like that. I can do that." He paused a moment. "Henry suggested I try candy, flowers, jewelry and poetry. Is any of that worth a shot?"

"You discussed putting the moves on me with our ten year old son?"

"Uh hum, he approves," Bae admitted.

"Well, let him know I'm not the gushy type."

"That's what my papa said you'd say."

Emma was silent for a moment. Then she said, "You discussed putting the moves on me with your father?" She had raised her voice.

"Uh hum, he approves, too," Bae admitted. "He said to just grab you and start kissing you, that you'd probably fight like a wildcat, and I'd be at some risk that you'd stick a knife in me, but he didn't think you'd shoot me. And there was a good chance you'd kiss me back."

Emma tilted her head back into the headrest of the pilot's chair and groaned. "You talked about kissing me with Gold?"

Bae nodded and continued, "I thought I'd take the middle ground here and just talk with you, tell you my feelings and my intentions. Was that the right thing to do?

"Back to 'are you for real?' or are you reading my mind," Emma responded. She waited a moment. "But yeah, it was the right thing to do. Now run along. I really do have work to do before I turn in."

He stood and hesitated. "How about a little good night kiss?"

Emma glared at him, reached down and pulled a knife from the holster on her leg, laying it down on the console in front of her, within easy reach. She folded her arms.

Bae took the hint. "Maybe another evening." Then, in a most uncharacteristic gesture, he brought up his fingers to his mouth, kissed them and blew the kiss in her direction. He turned and left.

Emma took a deep breath. "Girl, you are in so much trouble." She considered going after the man, telling him she had reconsidered and dragging him back into the cockpit for some quality one-on-one time. Oh but could she trust him? _How was it that Belle so completely trusted Gold, one of the most untrustworthy people she'd ever met?_ Emma could not bring herself to trust any man. . . or woman for that matter. Well, maybe Belle. . . and Archie. . . oh, and maybe Gold. He was a liar and a manipulator, but she couldn't help but believe that he would have her back if it came to that. She whispered to herself, "Just give me some time, Bae."

+ + + + + _Spying_

"Where do you think they've been going?" Belle asked Emma one morning after seeing Gold and Bae off. They had said they were going into the hospital to help Archie, but neither woman completely believed them. This had been going on for a while now. Twice a week, every Tuesday, every Friday, Bae and Gold excused themselves to go to the hospital.

"You think Gold is lying to you?" Emma asked Belle. "Does he lie to you?"

"Oh my, yes," Belle responded casually. "Not so many outright lies. Usually they are lies of omission, things he thinks might hurt my feelings. Sometimes things that he knows I'll be angry with him if I find out. He can't help himself."

"Are you ok with that?"

"Not at all, but it comes with the package. Every time I find out, I ream him out."

"And how does he handle that?"

"Not well. He gets all huffy and says things like 'why would you think I've changed? You know what I am.' Really, I think he's just getting better at making sure I don't find out."

"Well," said Emma, "I think that I'm just going to go on into town to the market and I may happen to stop by the hospital on the way in. We probably need a couple of things for supper, right?"

"Emma, you can't cook. No one would believe. . . oh hell, I'll give you a list," Belle finished. "Let me know if you catch up with them."

"Why does this feel like I'm spying on them?" Emma asked.

"Maybe because you're spying on them," Belle answered.

Emma set off for the Archie's little hospital. It was a merely an old six room house. There were two rooms set aside upstairs for in-patients. Down stairs there was one large waiting area, two small examination rooms and an office. Archie was hoping to expand and move into an adjacent building to add more in-patient rooms.

Archie was in one of the examination rooms when Emma came by. There was a full house in the waiting room.

"Wow, you could use another doctor," she told him stopping in just to greet him.

"I could use three other doctors," Archie told her, "and nurses, and orderlies and a nutritionist and someone to help with my paperwork."

"Belle might could help with the paperwork. She's good at that type of thing. Set you up with an automated computer program. Maybe she can come one day next week. I'll talk with her," Emma promised him. "Uh. . ." she hesitated.

"Are you looking for Bae and Gold?" Archie was washing his hands before moving on to the next patient.

"They said they might be coming by here today," she tried to sound nonchalant.

"Oh yes, they come by every Tuesday and Friday and see to those patients I have no treatment for. They're both great. These people can't afford to pay and they're really sick. Between them, Gold and Bae heal them or, at least, get them feeling better. They've been at this for several weeks now. They're wonderful."

"Really!" Emma was stunned. _They really had been going to the hospital to help Archie. _Drat, now she felt petty and small. She considered. If she greeted them, they would probably guess that she had followed them. If she snuck out, Archie might tell them she had been by and they would wonder why she hadn't greeted them unless she had been following them and didn't want them to know. Augh! There was no graceful way out of this. She stood up straight. Get it over with. Go and speak with the men.

As she approached the room, the door opened, and Emma could see a small child totter out. She was followed by her tearful parents. She heard them saying "Anything, anything we are able to do for you,"

She saw Bae and heard his response. "It's our pleasure. I'm glad we could help,"

Emma felt a bit choked up. _This had been a sick child. One of them had healed her. _

Bae saw her, "Emma, my dear. How delightful!" Bae seemed to have no clue she'd been spying on them. He approached her and gave her a hug. "How about a kiss?" he asked hopefully.

Feeling guilty Emma nodded agreement and found herself enfolded in the man's arms and felt his lips gently, teasingly laid onto hers. It took a moment, but he coaxed her mouth open and pressed his body into hers. She started to pull back, but he held her closely. She heard herself moan_ oh she didn't just moan_ and struggled again to pull away, but he persisted in holding her.

"Bae," she managed to say, "Bae, please."

He allowed her to pull back a little, just a little. "Yes, Emma?"

"That's. . . that's enough," she finally got out. "Please let me go."

She knew he was considering pressing his advantage. If he did, she wouldn't have a chance. _He could just go ahead and do her right there in the examination room._

He hesitated. "All right, sweet girl. All right." And he gave her a very gentle follow up kiss before releasing her. "Checking up on us?" he asked.

"Oh yeah." _So he did know._ "Belle and I were convinced you two were up to something. I guess you were, but nothing like what we thought."

"Feeling badly now, I would guess," he told her.

Emma pulled herself away. "Not as badly as you might think," she smiled at him and began to back away. "But I really do have to go and do some shopping for Belle."

Bae watched her stumble out and leave him. He felt his father come up behind him. "Told you, one or both of them would come looking for us. Neither one of those women think that I can be truthful. Nor that I'm capable of doing something nice for someone. They figured we were up to something." Gold clapped him on the back. "Taking advantage of her guilt feelings. Very good. You're wearing her down, boy, wearing her down."

+ ++ + + _Ohyesohyesohyes_

Henry had asked for ice cream. Gold was always up for the cold treat and had quickly agreed to take out Henry and Grace. Belle agreed to join them. Alice and Jefferson decided to go out with the four, but they had another venue in mind; Jefferson explained that Alice wanted to go and see the new botanical gardens. They might join up with the others later.

That evening, left alone in the ship, Emma found herself watching him. He was, she told herself, quite easy on the eyes. Lean body, dark hair, dark eyes. She was sitting in the pilot's chair and he was working in front of the communications com. He was like, yet unlike, his father. Both men had slight wiry bodies exuding an aura of coiled, explosive strength. Both displayed sharp, incisive intelligence. Both oozed sexuality.

She looked him over. Oh, but there were differences. Emma never trusted Gold, never thought he would or could string together even three honest statements in a row. Bae, well, she wasn't quite sure, but he at least _seemed _truthful. Bae also didn't seem as manipulative as his father; he seemed more open and less guileful. She couldn't be quite sure.

She watched him maneuver his way around the com board. He had his father's long, slender fingers and she couldn't stop herself from wondering how well those sensitive fingers might play along her body, touching her. . . teasing her. . . stimulating. _Crap! _She needed to stop this. The man wasn't even looking at her, much less touching her and she was getting turned on. She got up and got herself some water.

She sat back down. She sighed. She was trying to run a simple engine diagnostic. She would start routines on the computer, then sit back and monitor. There were long periods when she would have nothing to do but sit and wait, watching a computer screen that was doing essentially nothing.

He had those same dark brown eyes that his father had. Rich chocolate, or was it coffee? She couldn't quite decide. Pretty little golden flecks. A girl could get lost in them. So warm. . . so sweet. . . so deep. _Oh lordy! _She was sucking on one of her own fingers._ What was wrong with her?_ It had just been too long. She got up and went outside into some cool air and took a couple of deep breathes to clear her head.

She sat back down. Punched a couple more buttons. Punched them hard. Hard. Next routine.

His lips were nice too. Even, not too full, not too thin. Firm, yeah, she knew they were firm. Yet soft. Demanding, she thought they would probably be demanding. Teasing, tantalizing, talented. _Damnation!_ _She was surprised she hadn't inserted her hand down her pants. . . or his pants. _She vaulted up and went inside the lavatory to wash her face. And her neck. And the back of her neck. The wash cloth trailed down her chest. Inside her plain white tank top. Under her arms. Back to inside the tank top. Across her. . . _Stop that! _

She needed a drink.

She went into the kitchen and began to look through the cabinets. _Maybe some coffee would do it. _Belle kept the place pretty well stocked. _Oh hell, just find a beer._ Mostly fresh vegetables and fruits. _Or something stronger_. Belle was big on fresh vegetables and fruits. _Tequila. That could do it. Just a couple of straight shots of tequila_. Where the hell did Belle keep the liquor?

Emma was intent on her quest and didn't hear him come in behind her.

"Emma," he said quietly.

Emma reacted. Turning, pulling the knife she kept on her thigh and holding it up to his throat in one astonishingly quick, clean motion. She found herself staring into chocolate-coffee deep brown eyes with golden flecks. Her mouth had gone dry and she couldn't talk.

"I'm sorry, Emma, I didn't mean to startle you." He held still waiting for her to recognize that it was just him. "You seemed a little tense. I was concerned."

Emma was nearly shaking. She pulled back the knife and re-sheathed it. She apologized, muttering out, "sorry," now feeling awkward and embarrassed and he was standing so close to her and his hands were now kneading her shoulders and his whole body was too close in the confined space of the kitchen and if he just dropped his head about three inches his lips could be right on hers, especially if she tilted her head up, just so.

"Are you all right? I know you've been working hard without taking a break. You've been up and down most of the evening," he observed.

His voice was like warm silk. His voice was steady. His hands weren't trembling. He seemed in perfect control.

"I. . . I guess I'm a little tired. I do seem to be kinda restless," she managed to whisper.

"Yeah, that's all it is," he told her. His eyes were locked onto hers. She barely noticed but his hands had stopped the massaging action on her shoulders and his fingers were trailing up her neck, reaching her jaw and then his thumb was on her lips and then his fingers were tracing over her lips. She opened her mouth and when one of his fingers, just barely, the fingertip grazing, went into her mouth, she found herself closing her lips around it, her tongue circling it.

It wasn't enough.

She opened her mouth and he allowed her to kiss his fingers, kiss the palm of his hand, suck on his fingers, her tongue tasting him.

It wasn't enough.

She tore her mouth away from his hand and reached up to pull his head, his mouth, down onto her own.

He let her kiss him, hungrily, roughly, needing his contact, the pressure that his lips and the pressure that his body could give her. She realized she had quit breathing and tore herself away from him a moment, panting.

"Emma?" he started. "Are you sure?"

"Ohyesohyesohyes," she answered and pulled him back down to her.

This time he was helping, kissing her back, using his hands to turn and position her so that she was shoved up against a counter and he was able to place himself between her legs. Her arms were up on his shoulders and she felt herself lifted. She obliged him by wrapping her legs up and around him. He had her, his arms wrapped around her, holding her up and melding her to him. He was still kissing her but began to move out of the kitchen, carrying her relentlessly towards the bedroom he shared with Jefferson and Henry.

So intent were they on each other that they passed through the common room without noting that Gold and Belle were standing just inside the front door. Henry and Grace stood between them.

Gold's mouth twitched. "It would seem that Mr. Bae has gotten Miss Emma to like him back," he told Henry. He turned to Belle, "I suggest we find a place at Nolen's and Snow's castle for the evening. I think those two will want some privacy." He stopped a moment and, after glancing around, pulled off a scarf around Belle's neck and hung it on the doorknob.

Henry looked at him, puzzled.

"It's a signal that they will be wanting privacy," he explained.

Belle was smiling at him. "How come you've never carried me across a room like that?" she asked him in a low tone.

"Oh darling. I've thought about it, but recently you've put on a lot of weight."

"And whose fault is that?" she asked him, with just a touch of acid in her usually sweet voice.

+ + + + + _What Happened in the Garden of Flowers_

Alice had asked Jefferson to take her to the botanical gardens. Once the cryogenic stupor was over, the majority of her confusion had resolved. She was a clever, decisive woman, but there was still so much new technology on board ship that overwhelmed her. And she often seemed to see and hear things, maybe even entitites, that others did not. She was far more sensitive than he was to wormholes and continually seemed aware of gashes, even the smallest of crevices, in time and space. She would sometimes flinch back from things unseen to him. He still thought she was amazing and lovely and desirable.

"I like flowers" she had told him. "But I don't know that they like me," she had added, a bit cryptically.

They had wandered the grounds, Alice spending time with the roses, the tiger lilies and the daisies.

"You're beautiful, even among the flowers," Jefferson had told her. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"You're very sweet," she told him. "I would like to spend the night with you," she said abruptly.

"What?" he was stunned.

"You know. You've done it before," she said, smiling at him.

"I need to be sure. Emma and Snow have told me that I have a problem understanding what women want."

Alice stood in front of him. She was taller than Emma and came up to his chin. She looked up at him, her pale blue eyes intently gazing into his own. "I want to be in the same bed as you tonight and I want us to get as physically close as a man and a woman can get."

He looked back down at her. "Let me understand the first part. We have to be in a bed?"

Alice glanced around. They were in a secluded corner of the garden. It was quite dark and getting late in the evening. Tempting.

"For our first time, yes, I think a bed would be nice."

He considered. "Snow could probably help us out. I can probably get my old room in the castle back."

"Any other questions?" Alice asked him.

"When you said that you wanted us to get close, you were suggesting. . .ah. . . intimate activity?"

"Absolutely."

He looked away from her. "Alice, I've been told I have some. . .uh. . .inappropriate tastes."

Alice stood quietly. When she spoke she had a twinkle in her pale blue eyes. "Well now, I'm intrigued. I can't wait to find out what they are."

"I'll try to go slowly," he told her. "You have to promise me to tell me if I try to do something that you don't like."

"Does that mean that you'll stop? Or will you just know that I don't like it?"

"You have a preference?" he asked her.

"Let's find something I don't like first. Then I'll tell you."

Jefferson pulled out his pocket communicator. "I'll let Gold know that we won't be back tonight. He and Belle will take care of Grace."

+ + + + + _Enthusiasm_

Emma stretched. She felt amazingly relaxed.

She looked around. _Where was she?_

_Oh hell._

He was watching her, propped up on one arm, gazing down at her. "Good morning beautiful."

She smiled wanly. "Uh huh. Morning." She sat up keeping the sheet wrapped around her. _No clothes. _

She looked around. This was 'the boy's' room. It was strewn with male paraphernalia, pants, odd gadgets, reading material, food, stray gaming gear. But no Emma clothes.

_What time was it?_

"Emma?"

"Uh huh," she responded neutrally.

"I had a wonderful night. You were wonderful."

"Thank you." She sat a moment, trying to get her bearings. "You too, wonderful too."

He sat up and ran his hands down her arms. He nuzzled her neck, feeling her slight shivered response.

"We need to go ahead and get up," Emma tried to distract him.

"Absolutely," he agreed, kissing down her shoulder blade, continuing to run his hands over her arms, his fingers gradually shifting, moving under the sheet, towards Emma's breasts, the palms of his hands filling with the supersensitive, soft, giving flesh. She gasped as he pulled her back against him, the nipples rapidly hardening, responding to his touch.

Distraction was working, just not in the direction she wanted.

He was pulling her back down, onto her back, shifting his position so that she lay beneath him. _How was man able to get up his. . .enthusiasm again?_

_. . ._

_Who cares?_

**A.N. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my wonderful reviewers (and sorry I haven't had as much time for personal responses – have had an inservice on executive functioning to put together for work – yes, there's some irony here): thedoctorsgirl42 (sorry my Dr. Who days pretty well ended with Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, yes I'm that old), Dracomom, Elizabeth (loved, loved your questions – you gave me the perfect idea of where/how to reach closure on one of my pressing loose ends—see next chapter), Jaybird6 (of course I have not forgotten the Reul Ghorm ; there will ultimately be something to be said on this situation—right now on the story board, Belle will have the pleasure), BrittanyLS, Seramarias and Notsureyet18. txm**

_NEXT Belle and Bae talk about magic_

_Gold makes an offer (finally!)_

_Emma and Gold both make discoveries_


	20. Confessions

+ + + + + _Not Disappointed_

This time he greeted her with breakfast.

"I knew you had to be hungry. I made eggs, and toast, and home fries and bacon and coffee and juice."

She realized she was ravenous. _Hokey smokes! The man can cook, too. _"Wow, that's going to hit the spot." She took several large bites and looked around. "Where is everyone? They're being awfully quiet or they're somewhere else."

"My guess is somewhere else. Someone had hung a scarf on the doorknob, so they knew we were in here," he was smiling but then became serious. "Are you ok with what happened Emma?"

"Oh yeah, what's not to like?" she looked up catching his eye and felt herself beginning to blush.

"So it was good for you?"

"You have to ask?" she was incredulous. "Well that eighth time you made me get off, that was a wee bit unsatisfactory, but the other what? twelve of so times you got me going, well, those were all ok." She put her fork down. "Bae, I didn't know I was capable of . . . what happened between us. Of what I. . . you did to me." She was quite serious. "I am in thrall to you. I was interested in you before, but now I know the. . . magic you can work on my body, I am willing to sit at your feet and be your humble. . . whatever you want me to be."

He was smiling, "Careful, Emma. That talk could be dangerous for you." He sat back in the bed next to her. "They were all 'ok'? huh?"

"Are you so used to having women pleading with you, begging you, screaming and blacking out when you do them, that one more isn't so extraordinary? OK, I'm not the most experienced woman on the block, but I think I know "fantastic" when I see it. But I am just a bit overwhelmed, Bae, I was just expecting a quick, fun roll in the hay with a really hot guy, not somebody who could make me. . .make me go three times in a row, boom, boom, bam."

"Emma, remember what the Fae had me doing. I was expected to perform frequently and well. I was trained to do so. I was expected to do so. And I did," he scrutinized her. "Are you complaining?"

"Oh god no," she quickly responded. "I just wasn't expecting what happened and I'm abit overcome, overwhelmed, overdone. I'm a lot overdone."

"But not disappointed?"

She looked at him with some disbelief. "Not disappointed," she confirmed.

+ + + + + _The Marriage Question_

Gold had gone off again, mysteriously, the next morning, leaving Belle with the children, still camped out, as it were, in the luxurious castle digs that Snow had put them in. Belle took them out to breakfast and then walked with them back to the ship. They had enjoyed staying the night in a 'real castle' and both were running and skipping along, evidently happy with their new families. They also both liked Belle, really liked her. Gold, well, they weren't so sure about him. Henry was particularly distrustful of the man.

"I think he's evil," he announced.

Grace punched him in the arm and with her head motioned towards Belle.

Belle had to smile. "He certainly has a dark side, Henry, I would grant that. He doesn't always tell the truth and he's done some pretty nasty things. I know all about that," she told the two children.

"But you still love him, don't you?" Grace asked her.

Belle answered without hesitation, "Yes, yes I do. I love him very much."

"And you're going to marry him?" Grace added.

Belle hesitated. "Well, I don't know."

Grace stopped. "Why don't you know?" she asked innocently.

"I know," said Henry. "He hasn't asked her yet."

Belle looked between the two children. "Dr. Gold is a very complicated man. Marriage is very serious."

Grace asked her, quite seriously, "But you would marry him if he asked you, right?"

Belle bit her lip. "I don't know. Marriage is very serious."

Grace shook her head, "But if you love him, why wouldn't you marry him?"

Belle just stood a moment. "May I will," she finally said, adding, "if he asks me."

+ + + + + _Talents_

Once back on the ship, Belle greeted Emma. She quickly noted that Emma spoke shortly to her and ducked out, shutting herself in the cockpit. Was Emma avoiding her? _OK, so she didn't want to talk about what had happened. _Belle hoped her friend was all right. Concerned, Belle went in search of Bae and found him cleaning up in 'the boy's room,'

"Hi, Bae," she greeted him with a big smile and started helping him pick up.

"Miss Belle," he greeted her, smiling back.

"I would have thought you would have gone off with your father on whatever his latest mystery mission is."

Bae was surprised, "He's gone again?"

"Just for the day. He promised me," Belle responded. She was watching him, intently.

"You want to know if Emma is all right?" he finally asked her.

"I do. She seems to be avoiding me. I hope everything is all right between you two."

"I do too. She was enthusiastic last night, but seemed more subdued this morning. I hope she doesn't regret anything."

"I hope not," Belle agreed. Belle continued to linger.

Bae finally stopped picking things up. His heart didn't seem in the chore anyway. "Belle, what else is on your mind?"

She made a face at him. "Am I so obvious?"

"A bit," he smiled and sat on the edge of one of the beds. He motioned for her to sit across from him. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I've been wondering something."

He didn't say anything, waiting.

"You, Emma, Jefferson, Alice, even Henry and Grace and certainly Gold, you all have Fae DNA."

"As do you," he confirmed.

"But you all can _do _things. You know what I mean. Jefferson and Alice can both teleport. You can heal and I don't know what else. Henry and Grace, they seem to know things and maybe even read minds. Emma can read minds and fight like no one else. And Gold, he does everything."

Bae sat back. "And you were wondering what you can do."

"I don't seem to have anything special that I can do. Did it miss me? Is there something that's laying dormant in me and it's going to burst out of me? What's going on for me?" She seemed plaintive.

"Belle. You have a couple of amazing talents that I'm aware of."

"Really?!"

"The most obvious one is your. . .oh, it's hard to describe. You are the only one the Fae know who is like. . . how you are."

"What? How am I?" Belle was alarmed.

Bae was smiling at her. "You can and you often do, uh, project a field. It goes out about ten meters or so and is stronger the closer anyone gets to you."

Belle looked around herself. "A field?"

"It. . . " Bae was struggling for words, "it soothes anyone who comes into your presence. Belle, as long as I've known my father, he has been. . . agitated, easily annoyed, quickly irritated. But when he is around you, well, he's calmer. Less restless. More at peace with himself."

"Wow," Belle sat quietly. "I'm kinda a human tranquillizer?"

Bae was still smiling at her. "If you will. I think you'll find you work on animals, too."

"Can you feel it?"

"Oh my yes. Henry and Grace can actually see it. My father, I don't know if he's aware of it or not."

"All right," Belle stood and looked around herself. "A strange talent to be sure."

"A precious talent. There's more," Bae told her and she stopped and turned to look at him.

"Belle, you're an empath. One of the strongest ones on record. Empaths are rare, very rare. Your talents are undeveloped, but definitely there."

"What's an empath? I mean, I know what empathy is, but what am I?"

"Like a telepath reads thoughts, you read feelings. It's an amazing talent. You've not done much to develop it, I think, because you probably thought that everyone functioned as you do."

Belle thought for a moment. "Is it hard to lie to an empath?" she asked.

"Virtually impossible," he confirmed. "They will know."

"Uh hum, that's what I thought," she told him and continued her way out.

She was out the door when Bae said quietly to himself. "And there's one more thing, Miss Belle. One more talent that you have."

+ + + + + _An Apology and a Goodbye_

Jefferson had caught Emma alone in the cockpit of _Happy. _He and Alice had trudged in was the day after The Night, as Emma had began to refer to it in her own head. She had still not brought herself to face Belle. _Why not? Belle would be happy for her. _Emma knew that Jefferson and Alice had spent the night together themselves. "Emma, I wanted to thank you for everything," he began.

"Sure," Emma had responded, not quite sure what he was thanking her for.

"I'm sorry for how badly our relationship got off, well, sorry doesn't really cover it, does it?"

"Not really, but I survived," Emma responded honestly.

"You taught me a lot. I think I'm a better person for having known you."

Something in his tone caught Emma's attention. "You sound like you're going somewhere."

He nodded. "Yes, Alice and I are going to travel some. We've talked to Grace. She wants to come with us. We both really like her. Gold has agreed to give us a fair amount of startup capital and we're just going to go exploring together."

"Using your hat and Alice's rabbit-hole ribbon?" Emma suspected that Jefferson and Alice were pooling their magical talents together combining her ribbon and his hat.

"Yeah. We've actually taken a few little trips already. There are some fantastic places out there. We plan to be back, now and again, but right now we're off to all the far off places, to see all the wonders that are out there."

Emma got up and gave him a hug. "Take care of that lovely little girl," she told him. "I think my Henry's got his eye on her."

Jefferson considered. "Grace and Henry, huh? I could totally see them together."

Emma stood on her tiptoes and gave Jefferson a quick kiss on the cheek. She heard him whisper, "I'm so sorry I hurt you." She watched him turn and go.

_She wondered how long it will be before she would see them again._

+ + + + + _Confession_

Emma knew that she would have to connect with Belle, sooner or later. Never one to shirk, well, at least not for long, she found Belle in the kitchen. It was early evening and Belle was chopping vegetables for supper.

"I think Alice, Jefferson and Grace are going to go off together," Emma announced.

"I thought they might be planning something like that," Belle answered.

"You did? It seemed kind of sudden to me." _How did Belle know?_

"I thought they were thinking about moving on. I'm happy for them, but I will miss them. It does mean that we have a free bedroom. You could move out of the cockpit."

"I could," Emma agreed.

"You and Bae could share it," Belle said neutrally.

"We could," Emma agreed.

"Ok Emma, you've been avoiding me. I know you and Bae . . . hooked up. How was it? Do we need to find another place for Bae to stay? Take you to a doctor?"

Emma shook her head, "Belle, please. I've got to tell you something. Something that, well, it may make you ask me to find another place to stay."

Belle stopped prepping the meal, "Emma? This sounds serious."

"It's the most serious thing I've ever shared with anyone." Emma swallowed hard. She began, "Belle, when we got the news that you had been taken prisoner by the Fae, Gold was furious with me. He blamed me. And I felt it was my fault. Bad planning. I felt terrible."

"You couldn't have foreseen everything," Belle reassured her.

"Maybe not. But Gold can, or nearly so. I should have listened to him. He kept telling me it wouldn't work. He was so angry, I was afraid he might lose it."

"He is capable of that," Belle agreed.

Emma paused. Belle could see that she was having a difficult time. Belle waited.

"I had gone in and was poking around in the data base you had sent us. . . I found myself," Emma hung her head. "I was devastated. I didn't know what to do. I went back to him and told him. . . I think it began as him. . .comforting me, just patting me, holding me. I don't know exactly how it happened. It was totally my fault. Please don't be mad at him. I should have stopped. I should have pulled back."

Softly Belle asked her. "What happened, Emma?"

"I kissed him." She looked very sorrowful. "I mean full frontal, extended-stay bodily-fluids-exchanging kissing. He stopped before we went any further." Emma wasn't making eye contact. "I've been carrying the guilt around. I had to tell you. Belle, I'm so, so sorry. It was all my fault. I kept telling myself that telling you would only hurt you and I should keep it to myself, but I'm kidding myself. I feel like I've been lying to you."

"Wow Emma. I never thought it was something like that," Belle told her. "I've known that he's thought you were attractive and if I hadn't come along, he would likely have actively pursued you."

"And I think that sooner or later he would have seduced me," Emma admitted. "But Belle, please. You are the best friend I've ever had. And when I think I did something that could hurt you. I'm sorry, so sorry. Everything since then has been just friendly, no romance, nothing else."

"So in a moment of vulnerability, my best friend and my paramour turned to each other for a brief moment of mutual comfort."

"Your paramour who had gotten you pregnant! I don't know how comforted he was. I think he was just trying to help me. And things got away from us." Emma looked dejected, "Do you want me to go away?" she asked in a small voice.

"Nothing's happened between you since?"

"Nothing," Emma confirmed. "Oh yeah, when he blew the door to the Reul Ghorm's office up, I was so impressed, I gave him a little peck on the cheek, like you'd give your favorite uncle."

Belle smiled at her, "Your favorite uncle, huh?"

"Yeah. Any hope of forgiveness?"

Belle hesitated, "I know that Gold finds you attractive. He's never made any secret of it. I know that you find him probably as intriguing as I do."

"Oh, I don't know about intriguing. I think more irritating, aggravating and impossible," Emma clarified.

"Ah yes. But if I wasn't in the picture, you would be interested?"

"Interested, maybe. But 'if' is a big word here. Belle, you _are _in the picture. And I genuinely care about you, certainly about keeping you as my best friend. Any hope of forgiveness?" she asked again.

Belle gave her a gentle smile. "Emma, it's not like you did anything more than a kiss. At that time, I don't even know that Gold would have admitted he had any real affection towards me, lust perhaps, proprietary interests, but nothing more. It took my memory getting wiped and Gold being afraid I'd forget him to get him to face his own true feelings. And Emma," Belle added a trifle sad, "I still don't have a ring on my finger. There's been no commitment, no declaration of love, no offer of faithfulness from the man. He has only assured me he will always be there to take care of the baby and any physical needs I may have."

"That son of bitch still hasn't asked you to marry him? What's he waiting for?"

"I think it's a combination of things. I think, primarily that he doesn't want to tie himself to a woman who's going to get old and die on him."

"So he's just planning on keeping you on the side?"

"I guess so. But I'm ok with that. I'd rather have a small time with him without benefit of marriage than . . ."

"What's the other choice?" Emma asked puzzled.

"No time with him, I guess." Belle answered. Belle sat down on one of the kitchen stools. "Now Emma, tell me about you and Bae. How did it go?"

Emma did not begin speaking at once, "It was the most incredible experience of my life. It was. . . shattering. Belle, I've never had the feelings I had with this man. I just lost control of myself. It was like I was somebody else, some female animal that he had complete control over. It was fantastic, but frightening. I think I'm falling in love with him, but I'm afraid of him and what he does to me."

Belle listened to this confession.

"So you're saying the sex was great, but overwhelming because you weren't expecting it to be, what? so good?"

Emma nodded. "I guess."

"Are you crazy? So the guy turned out to be fantastic in the sack. So he's too good to hang onto?"

"Belle, you don't understand. . ."

"Emma, listen to me," Belle turned away from her. "When Gold first had me, I had never had a positive sexual experience. The first couple of times, he took his time, and was gentle and considerate, and very, very thorough. Even then, I had no idea a man could induce those kinds of responses in a woman." She paused, "But since then, there have been times when he . . . takes charge, totally, completely. It _is_ frightening. But I remember that, at least in this, I completely trust him. It is overwhelming," Belle paused. "But it's also wonderful.

"Emma," Belle continued, "We have attached ourselves to very, very powerful men. They see us as very, very powerful women. Their love is very, very powerful too. They are sometimes overwhelming. But unless you think he's going to hurt you, I'd say just enjoy yourself. There are plenty of women out there who would give their right arm for the kind of relationship we have."

"That's nice to hear," a voice from the kitchen door startled the two women. It was Gold.

"Sneaking up on people again?" Belle asked him.

He almost grinned at her. "Emma, why don't you give me and Miss Belle some privacy. I feel like I want to do something 'overwhelming'." Gold was smiling.

Belle protested, "I'm in the middle of making supper." She gestured at the chopped vegetables she had laid out.

"They'll keep," he intently moved in on her. "Goodbye Emma."

Emma smiled at her friend, "Yeah, well, maybe I can take Henry and Bae out. We could get supper and then ice cream or maybe ice cream and supper."

_Gold was overwhelmed himself. He had always had concerns that he might have hurt Belle during those few times he had allowed himself to be consumed by his own desires. He remembered that she would push against him as if to try to slow him down or even to stop him, and he would simply crush her and do as he wanted with her, insistently controlling her, forcing her into yielding. He was astonished to find that she, what was her word? . . . enjoyed herself. It was 'wonderful.' And importantly, more importantly, most importantly, she trusted him. Probably more than he trusted himself. _

+ + + + + _Confessions_

With the exception of a few over-the-top episodes, Gold was usually a very careful, very considerate partner, both in and out of the bedroom, actually beginning to frustrate Belle with his caution and concern.

"I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself, Gold," she very nearly snapped at him the next morning after he had gotten her some clothes together and was helping her button her top. "I'm a perfectly healthy young woman. Normal activity is not going to hurt me or the baby, in fact, exercise is good for us both. You know Archie has told us both that the baby is just fine and I'm just fine."

He nodded. "I understand, but I still want to take care of you and the baby."

She smiled at him, "You're a dear, but you are driving me crazy."

"Come with me this morning," he begged her. "I want to show you something."

Belle was intrigued. He obviously had something up his sleeve. _Was this part of the mysterious day trip he had just taken? _"What have you got going on?" she asked him. She could tell he was hiding something from her.

"You read me too well," he remarked. "It's like you're reading my mind, but I know you're not a telepath."

"Bae told me that I'm an empath," she responded.

"A what?"

"Bae told me. . . "

He interrupted, "I heard what you said. You're an empath! Oh shit!" He sat down abruptly. He had to take several deep breaths, gulping the air. "I never realized," he was shaking his head. "But it makes perfect sense. No wonder I haven't been able to lie to you! You always seem to know what I'm feeling! And Bae never told me."

"I guess he thought you knew. You know everything else."

"Maybe. I think he wanted me to figure it out myself. Do you know how rare empaths are?"

"He told me that," she confirmed.

"Rare and precious."

"Yes dear," she smiled indulgently. "Now what are you going to show me."

He had led her out of the ship and on into town, still shaking his head. She could hear him murmuring to himself from time to time, "an empath." They were walking along the docks into the residential area. The houses were large, set aside for only the wealthiest citizens of the town. He stopped in front of a large salmon pink house.

"I wanted to show you this."

"It's an interesting color," she commented.

"Let's go inside," he took her hand and led her in through the stained glass doors.

"We are going to get arrested," Belle told him.

"Maybe not," he told her. "I am thinking about buying this house. . . for us. But I wanted you to see it first."

"A house. Not the ship anymore?"

"I thought that, with the baby, we needed something a bit more permanent. Bigger. With a room for us and one for the baby and," he gave her a sly smile, "may some other babies."

Belle was swirling around the room. It was large and spacious. She had started to go through the doors, exploring other rooms.

"It's beautiful!"

"With a great view and nice yard, but not too big."

"Aren't you turning into quite the domesticated man?"

"I am. Belle, do you understand how precious you are to me?"

"Yes, I know dear."

He hesitated. "I need to ask you something, but I have to tell you something first. Something bad that I did. I want you to know about it. It wouldn't be right if I kept it from you and, if you found out later. . . well, it wouldn't be right."

Belle felt like she had had this conversation before

"I have lived a long time, a very long time. I know that you won't be surprised to know that there have been other women in my life."

Belle waited quietly.

"I will confess that there have only been a few that I actually cared for, most were minor distractions or, sometimes, just an arm decoration. I don't have a lot of trust for women, you understand."

Belle nodded.

"When I first came aboard _The Grimm_, I was surprised that there were two women that I found myself interested in. Both beautiful, both intelligent, both strong. And I. . .I trifled with both of them. But then I found myself growing increasingly interested in one more than the other. There was such an inner strength and she seemed to see something in me that I did not see in myself. It was like a powerful drug. But I was afraid. Afraid to give in, to admit it."

Belle was continuing to wait quietly through his confession.

"This happened right after you were taken prisoner by the Fae. I was furious with Emma. She had screwed up everything. I was afraid I would start knocking her around so I put myself in our bedroom to calm down. Emma came in later. She was upset and crying." He stopped talking for a moment. He dropped eye contact with Belle. "She had found herself in the database. She was devastated. But what happened next, well, it was my fault, all my fault. Emma had nothing to do with it."

Belle waited. _Although she knew well what was coming. _

"I still found this other woman beautiful, intelligent and strong. I meant only to comfort her, but. . .we kissed. Nothing more, but it felt wrong and we stopped. I knew I wanted you and when I saw you with the Reul Ghorm I knew for absolute certainty. It was you, I wanted. You, I loved. Belle, if you want time to think, if you want me out of your life, if you want nothing more to do with me, I will understand." He hung his head.

"This is an interesting story. Interesting because Emma just told me almost the same one."

He looked up at her.

"Almost, except she was the one who was at fault, not you."

He shook his head, "That was very nice of Emma, but it was all me. I picked her up, put her on my lap and I started it. Belle, since the Reul Ghorm's office, where I awakened your memories with a kiss, I promise you, I have not strayed in action or in thought. It's you. It's all you. It's all about you. It's always you."

Belle considered. "I have known that you and Emma have had a mutual attraction going on. And I used to wonder if you had chosen her instead of me, how would I react if the opportunity arose to . . . get close to you. What would I have done? And I don't know that I wouldn't have taken advantage of an opportunity to kiss you."

She smiled at him. "I think that it's rare enough to have someone in your life you really care about. It's extraordinary to have that someone care back for you. I think I am fortunate to have two people who seem to care about me, and about each other."

Gold was cautious. "Are you forgiving me?"

"Yes, I can't promise you that I'm forgetting. But I'm realizing the down side of being an empath is that I understand people's motivations and behaviors. It's hard to be angry at someone when you understand them. And, besides, I do know that you've been absolutely faithful since you rescued me."

He stood still a moment. "Absolutely. Belle I must ask you. I know in many ways, I'm still a monster. I'm still capable of reprehensible behavior. I struggle to see why you would want to be with me. I can't imagine that. . . but would you. . . would you. . . could you ever consider. . . "

Belle turned to him. _What was up?_

He suddenly knelt in front of her. "My most beautiful Belle, a bright light in the darkness of my soul, you know I love you. I want to commit to you, to tell everyone I'm in love with you. I will promise to remain faithful to you. Would you marry me?"

"What?!"_Belle had never thought that he would want to tie himself down to her. _"Marry you? Are you sure this is what you want?"

_She was going to say "No." _He dropped his head. "I'll understand if you say 'no,' Belle. Why would anyone as beautiful, as wonderful as you are, want to marry a monster such as myself?"

She had to smile at him and shake her head. She knelt down in front of him. "Stop that. You are no monster. And if you want this, truly want this, then of course, I'll marry you. I didn't think you wanted me."

He was puzzled, "How could I not want you? Look at yourself. You're perfect."

"Hardly," she leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss, which quickly deepened.

He suddenly brightened up and stood. "I want to go tell everyone. Right now." He started out, but Belle called him back.

"Rum, this is one of those times that I need your help, Rum. Help me up."

+ + + + + _Plans_

Gold left no one untold regarding his intentions to marry the lovely Miss Belle. Most responded with congratulations. He wasn't sure if they were actually happy for him, relieved that he was stepping up to do the right thing for Belle or just saying what they thought he wanted to hear. _Privately, he wondered how many of them were pulling her aside to ask her if she really understood what she was doing. _Gold wasn't sure if he wanted a quick quiet ceremony with minimal witnesses or if an elaborate ceremony with the entire planetary population in attendance would only do.

Belle had opted for a smallish ceremony. Nolen wouldn't be able to officiate while on the planet, but Snow could in her capacity as royal princess. Nolen opted for the honor of walking Belle down the aisle. The couple had recruited Bae as best man and Emma as the one and only bridesmaid. The wedding was put on the fast track. Gold had decided he wanted to have the marriage before the baby was born.

He gave Belle a week to pull everything together.

+ + + + + _Henry Shares_

While the adults were busy helping with the wedding plans, Henry was left alone. He missed Grace, missed her more than anyone. They had been nearly constant companions since birth. Having had such an isolated childhood, Henry had difficulties relating to other children. He talked more like an adult and had peculiar interests for a child.

Emma found him sitting in front of the computer. Bae was sitting across from him, working on the ship's financial records. The three had the ship to themselves now with Gold and Belle having moved out into the pink house.

"Whacha doing?" she asked Henry.

"Looking over the data bank that Miss Belle put on the computer," he replied.

"Oh yeah," Emma had a prickling of a premonition. "Find anything interesting?"

"I did," he answered her. He looked right at her. "Did you know that you and Bae are my parents?"

_Oh god! _"Yes, Henry. I did. I only just found out that the Fae had done an experiment on me and Bae and you came out of that." _Darn, Emma realized that she was crying. _"I was so excited to find I had a son and I was so happy when I met you and I liked you and I've been hoping you like me."

"Can I call you mom?" he asked her.

"That would be great," Emma answered. "I'd like that."

"Did you know, Bae?" he asked the man.

"Yes, I did," Bae answered the child. "I was very excited to find out about you too," Emma was still wiping away tears.

"I always dreamed that some day I would find my real parents and that they would love me and save me." Henry told them both.

"And you did," Emma told him. She kissed him on the forehead. "Henry, you did."

"Have you ever wanted to find your own parents?" he asked her.

Wow, he'd hit a nerve. "Yeah, but I never had any luck."

"Well, I think I've found them. . . mom," he tried out his new name for Emma as a trial.

"What?! Tell me more?"

"Here," he showed her the notations. DN, he's a Gen Eighter and SW, also a Gen Eighter. You're coming from them. I think I figured out who they are. They're barely older than you are. The Fae did one of their experiments on them when they were still babies."

"I saw that, but the initials didn't tell me enough, so I couldn't go anywhere with the information."

"Did you check the cross reference page?" Henry asked.

"The what page?"

"You can look up people by initials or their numbers. I went with the numbers and found that DN is JDND is James David Nolen Dale. He was adopted by King George. I believe he is the captain of _The Grimm._"

Emma sat down. Her head was swirling.

"And your mother, SM is SMMW is Snow Mary Margaret White. She's a royal princess."

Emma took several deep breaths, but calmness did not come. She finally said, without any attempt to censor herself, "That son of a bitch!" and she ran from the room.

Henry turned towards Bae, "Father?" he asked quite concerned. "Did I do something?"

"Yeah, yeah you did. Come on, son. This should be something we can sell tickets for."

"I don't understand. What did I do?"

"You let your mother in on something that she needed to know and now she's going to go and kick your grandfather's ass." He was already at the door. "Come on, what are you waiting for? I was serious when I said we should sell tickets. This is going to be worth seeing."

Henry was all smiles as he joined his father and they set off after Emma.

+ + + + + _At the Same time_

Gold was at the little hospital. There had been a disturbance. One of the patients in one of the upstairs room had upended things, tore out of the house, injuring several people who had gotten in the way.

"Who was that?" Gold asked Archie, helping to clean up and heal up those who were injured in the escape of the patient.

Archie hesitated. "It was the last of the pod people. A woman who had been badly burned but had been rescued by the Fae. She was well on her way to healing up."

"I didn't think you took anybody who was sick or injured out of there."

"This one was special. Emma thought we should save her."

"Her? A woman?"

"Yeah," Archie said obviously uncomfortable.

"She turned out to be dangerous. I guess it wasn't a good decision to rescue her."

"I guess not," agreed Archie.

"You're not telling me something." Gold said it as a fact.

"Well, it was a difficult call. It just didn't seem right to leave her in that place despite what she had done. I was to call Emma when she regained consciousness and Emma was going to have her arrested."

A terrible suspicion had begun to grow. Gold demanded to know, "Who was it?"

"I wasn't sure what to do. I asked Emma to help decide," Archie was evading the question.

"Who was it?" Gold asked again.

"Even though she was burned, we were able to recognize her."

"Archie, tell me who it was or I will hurt you," Gold warned him.

"Regina."

"Shit! You saved Regina! What the hell were you thinking?"

"We didn't think she deserved, that anybody who didn't absolutely have to, deserved to stay in that hellhole. Emma, I know, wanted her brought to justice."

"So Emma saved her. That stupid slut! How were you two planning on containing Regina? She is very, very talented. No ordinary jail can hold her. Did either of you have some of those damn red bars the Fae keep on hand?"

"We just wanted to do the right thing," Archie tried lamely to defend their actions.

"Yeah right. Now she's on the loose to do all kinds of mischief. Where's Emma? I'm going to have it out with her." Gold left out looking for Emma.

**A. N. OK, so this one ran abit long, but I wanted to advance Gold into redemption. **

**To nightmaregirl a special thanks for catching a major gaff in the last chapter (which I promptly fixed).****Also thanks to Jaybird6, thedoctorsgirl42, NightowlsNest, Grace5231973, and Seramarias, most excellent and insightful reviewers. thx txm**

_NEXT Hopefully we'll get through all the coming confrontations, a wedding, a baby, and find out Belle's last talent and about a terrible secret Belle has been keeping, all to conclude this tale. _


	21. Confrontations

+ + + + + _The Search_

"Where is that son of bitch?" Emma demanded going first into Granny's little bistro. It was still quite the little place to be.

The people in the place became suddenly quiet and looked around at each other. It was Ruby, enjoying an afternoon coffee with Snow, who finally spoke up.

"Gold is actually looking for you, Emma," Ruby responded, honing right in on which SOB Emma was talking about. "He was in here not so long ago. I suspect he went over to the court," Ruby told her.

"If he's upset now, it's nothing to what he's gonna be," Emma promised and ran off to the court.

Bae and Henry came in soon after. "Where'd she go?" Bae asked breathlessly.

"The court," Snow replied, this time guessing who 'she' was. "What's up?"

"My mom is going to kick Dr. Gold's ass," Henry explained excitedly. His father made a shrugging gesture at Henry's language. _Well, it was true._

Ruby and Snow both stood up quickly. "Well, I'm in on this," said Ruby.

"Let's go," added Snow.

As the four hurried on to the court, Ruby took out her pocket communicator and began to let other people know, including Nolen, as well as her husband, Archie.

They had gathered quite the crowd as they approached the court. Emma had run at a dead heat, attracting enough attention with just the pace of her activity, and she was well ahead of them. She began to tear the court apart, demanding to see Gold.

It wasn't long before he came out from one of the upstairs work rooms, where he had been ranting, looking for Emma. She ran up the stairs and the two stood face to face, shouting at each other. Observers could see sparks coming off of both of them as they stood on a balcony in full view of the court.

They spoke simultaneously.

"Dr. Gold, just the one I wanted to see."

"_Miss Swan, just the one I wanted to see."_

"I ought to punch you in the face."

"_I ought to take you over my knee."_

"Whatever were you thinking?"

"_Whatever were you thinking?"_

"What are you talking about?"

"_What are you talking about?_

"Knowing that Snow and Nolen were my parents all this time."

"_Taking Regina out of stasis."_

"So what?" Emma answered him. "I thought that nobody should be left in the care of the Fae and, anyway, she needed to stand trial, if for nothing else, the murder of Graham," Emma answered. "Did you forget?"

"Well, she escaped," Gold explained as if talking with a dull-witted four-year-old. "And she's a magical being, in case you forgot, and, as soon as she felt well enough, she just walked out of the hospital room, injuring several people who got in her way. And now she's out there, who knows where, free to do whatever damage and pull whatever crap she can. You should have at least let me know you had pulled this stunt so I could have helped contain her."

"Maybe so, but you should have told me about my parents. Why didn't you?"

"So," he said, backing off from the irate Emma. "You finally put it all together."

"Henry did. Why didn't you tell me?"

"To what end? You would never have believed me unless you had seen that damned facility first."

Emma glared at him a moment, "Oh what the hell?" and suddenly, she raised her hand and hit him with a fireball. Immediately after this happened, Emma looked askanced, looking at her hand as if it didn't belong to her.

Gold had raised his hand and had effortlessly absorbed the energy.

"Well Emma, I was wondering when you would find out you could do that." He muttered to himself, "Why is the first shot always fire?" He then addressed Emma," Not your smartest move, dearie, to hit a fire entity, that's me, with fire. Think cold. You're more likely to be able to hurt me with _cold_. And think your own affiliation, Miss _Swan. _Think _water_. Think sleet, freezing rain, hail, oh shit!" and he had to step aside from a giant ball of snow and ice that Emma had managed to conjure and send his way.

"Now that was better," he was continuing to tutor her. "If that had connected, it might have actually have. . ." he had to raise his hand to ward off another sudden volley of several giant snowballs. "Emma," he advised her again. "You're thinking too soft. You shouldn't be playing with me. You're trying to hurt me. Think _hard_," he directed her.

And for the next several minutes Emma kept up a non-stop barrage of ice chips, icicles and sundry other pieces of frozen precipitation. Gold disintegrated them, side stepped from them or, occasionally, boomeranged them back onto her. Emma began to realize he was being strictly defensive. He hadn't fired a single shot of his own in her direction. She also realized she was exhausting herself. So she took a quick run at him and, speeding in onto him, she landed a lightening quick jab on the magician, hitting him squarely on the nose with her fist.

Bae gasped. He knew Emma was fast, but he also knew that no one, no one, had ever, ever gotten a hit in on his father. . . unless his father was letting them, _unless they were possibly faster than he was_? Gold promptly reflexively raised his hand as if to strike her back, but perhaps because of the audience, he dropped it, not willing to hit a female in front of others, _perhaps not willing to hit a female, even one more than capable of taking care of herself_.

Emma took advantage of his hesitation and followed up with a quick fist into his stomach, doubling Gold over. "One for each of my parents. I should give you one for me, too. Any other little bombshell secrets?" she demanded. She had backed away from him and quickly from the new vantage point, managed to kick him on the hip, making him wince.

"OK Emma, let me have some peace and quiet!" This time when he raised his hand, everything went still for Emma. She realized that she wasn't able to move.

"You bastard, what have you done to me?" she demanded, her feet glued to the floor, her hands plastered to her sides. She was able to turn her head, but little else.

"Damn, Emma." He rubbed his nose and massaged his belly. "I wasn't the one to do it to you or your parents. I just happened to know about it. I probably have a couple of thousand secrets. I don't tell everybody everything I know. I don't tell anybody everything I know." He regained some measure of composure. "Nobody needs that burden."

Emma felt momentarily chastised. But, she was still able to talk. "It was unfair of you. You kept calling me Princess and tried to make me feel it was just some little whimsy on your part, but all the time it was the truth. I had a family out there – my age, but still my family and you never told me and I thought you cared about me." Emma couldn't move away from him but was able to turn her head away from him.

"So I should have told you right out, first thing. . . " Emma was nodding back at him. "Like you and Bae told Henry?"

"That's a cheap shot. Henry is still a child. I'm an adult."

"Not to me, you're not," he told her. "You are still very much a child to me. A child of children. You've been here for less than thirty years. I've been here more than ten times that. What difference to me if you had found this out an hour ago or a week ago or even a year ago? It's all the same. And why should I be the one to have to tell you? The information was all there for the taking."

"I don't know," Emma was beginning to feel a modicum of remorse at having pummeled the man. "I'm just mad that you knew and teased me with the information. You could have told me any time."

"Emma," he came and stood next to her. She was still immobilized. "Emma, look at me."

She did as he had told her, initially gazing steadily into his eyes. Her anger sustaining her. _But then fading away. _But then, she seemed to waver and her eyes flickered. She looked away, a faint color rising to her cheeks. _No, no no, she would absolutely not be attracted to this man anymore. She would not let that trigger control her. No, no, no._ She managed to close her eyes.

He was smiling, she knew he was smiling. He leaned in very closely and whispered. "I could have told you, but I _chose_ not to. I don't operate under the same rules as others. _I. don't. have. to_," he emphasized to her. He stepped back and looked the immobilized young woman over. "This is actually pretty nice."

Emma's anger was rapidly building again. _The son of a bitch, casting a spell, preventing her from moving. _She opened her eyes and started to talk and he waved his hand, silencing her.

"Oh, this is very nice. I can talk and you have to listen." He walked around her. "You understand that this is a small part of what the Reul Ghorm could have done to all of us in her office, if she had so chosen. Do you see why I wanted to get us out of there? Do you see why attacking her would have been a bad idea?"

Emma couldn't bear to look at him. She nodded, miserably.

"She could have immobilized us and taken her sweet time with us. Killing us, torturing us, altering us. Have a little more faith in my judgment, dearie?"

Emma nodded again, still not looking at him.

Bae had come up to his father. "Papa, I don't think keeping Emma like this is a good idea. Sooner or later you're going to have to let her go," he looked over the immobilized young woman. "And she's gonna be pissed."

"Yeah, but isn't it delightful for the moment? You know, these are not difficult spells, Bae, and could come in handy if you continue to want to bed this. . . " he hesitated as to what to call Emma, "lady," he finally finished. "I can show them to you. Emma is quite the spitfire. She's going to take some firm handling," he advised his son.

Emma was now glaring at both men. Bae met her eyes and he smiled, slowly. "Perhaps, Papa,but no, thanks. I don't think I need spells to . . . subdue her."

Emma closed her eyes. Again. She knew she was blushing, she had to be blushing.

Gold sighed. "I do need to unfreeze her, though," he admitted and turned to her. "Emma," he addressed her directly. "I will need your help to take down Regina. She's powerful and sneaky. I want someone protecting my back. I'm recruiting you. And, no, this is not the favor you owe me."

Emma was just able to manage a slight nod.

Gold considered the young woman a moment as if still debating what to do. _It wouldn't hurt her to remain under his control a few moments longer; she need to respect him better._ He turned to Bae, "Why did you let me find out on my own that Belle is an empath?"

"Why should I be the one to have to tell you? I figured you already knew," Bae was smiling at his father. "And wasn't it more fun to find out about it yourself?"

"Not hardly," Gold answered. "I kept wondering why the woman knew when I was lying. She was beginning to frighten me."

"It's good for you to remember what it feels like to be frightened," observed Bae.

"No it's not," his father contradicted him. He turned to Emma and went over to stand in front of her, "Forgiven?" he asked her and gave her a slight wave so that she could speak.

She flashed her eyes up to look into his. "Not ever, you son of a bitch."

He shook his head. "Oh Emma. If you were mine, I would so enjoy punishing you for that." But then he shrugged. He was standing very close to her. "I am going to release you. And I do need, and I will have, your help in finding Regina."

"All right. I guess I owe you that," Emma agreed. She couldn't avoid him when he gently kissed her on the forehead. . . and then she felt herself mobile again.

Gold had turned and looked down at the crowd, which by this time included Snow and Nolen, Ruby and Henry. "Shows over, folks. Go home."

"Wait a minute." It was Nolen. He had come up on the balcony. "Did I understand what I've heard? That Snow and I are Emma's parents? That the Fae took our genetic material and created her?"

"Yeah," Emma answered, "They did. I'm your daughter."

Nolen swung on Gold. "And he knew about this?"

Emma spoke up, "Henry told me. He found out that he was my and Bae's child and then was able to get far enough into the data base to find out that you and Snow are my parents."

Nolen stood quietly, then held out his arms to Emma. "Emma, so I have a daughter and," he suddenly realized, "I also have a grandson. This is wonderful. Strange, but wonderful."

"I agree, dad," Emma responded mischievously. "It's odd, but I always felt kinda close to you. Always looked to you for advice. . . and I wanted to be like you."

"Oh Emma, I was always so proud of you. Everyone told me I was losing it getting a petite blonde for my security chief, but I had faith in you. I just knew you could do the job. And you were so good at it."

"Oh come on," Gold impatiently interrupting the reunion. "This is disgusting. Can we not go now? I'm concerned about what Regina might be up to. Emma, we have to find and contain her, right away."

Emma stepped away from Nolen. "Later, dad," she said. "I've got to go with the crazy man."

"Not a man," he reminded her and waved his green-gold fingers with their blackened nails at her.

+ + + + + _A Magic Primer_

"Where do you think Regina went?" she asked, trailing after Gold as he moved rapidly through the streets, following the trail of destruction that Regina had left behind her. He ignored her, intent on following the trail.

Emma tried again to talk with him, this time changing the subject. "So I'm capable of magic, too. How long have you known this particular piece?" she asked him, running alongside him.

"I didn't know. I just suspected," he answered. He gave her a quick answer, still gazing around, seeing things she did not.

"How powerful am I?" she asked him, adding, "I mean, I didn't think I was making a dent in your armor."

"It's not always about power, Emma. It's how effectively, how smartly, you use your talents."

"And I'm better off with watery stuff?"

He glanced at her. "Probably. You were certainly packing more power in your ice moves than in your weak-ass fireball."

"But you're fire." She said it as a statement.

"Pretty obvious, that," he responded.

"And the Reul Ghorm?"

"Everything. She can do everything. I've not known her to ever come up short. To overcome her, you have to catch her completely unawares, when she's not expecting you. Very hard to do that. Like sneaking up on a spider."

She hesitated. "When I was a kid, I used to see _things_ in mirrors, things I didn't understand. Was that part of my magic?"

"Mirrors and water magic? Sure, there's often a connection. You were probably spontaneously scrying or, maybe, tapping into your foresight."

"But how about. . . " she began.

He waved her off, indicating that the magic lesson was over for the day. As they continued to follow The Path of Destruction, Emma noticed the carnage was becoming less and less. As they moved further and further out from the hospital, Emma had difficulty seeing what he was attending to, what he was trailing. Occasionally he would stop and sniff the air.

"Can you smell her?" she asked him, a trifle repulsed.

"I can smell her magic," he told Emma. "Each of us has a distinctive scent." Emma looked at him puzzled. He continued, "In case you're wondering, you smell like cinnamon. Delicious. Belle smells like roses." He stopped. "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" he looked panicked.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

He looked back at Emma. "She is heading towards Belle." He took off at a dead run with Emma following him.

+ + + + + _A Delivery_

Belle was working in the nursery. It was a large upstairs room with a big bay window. Lots of light. There was a small table draped with a lace cloth and two dainty chairs in the alcove of the bay window. To the side was a crib, a chest of drawers, a changing table and a bookcase, already stuffed with children's story books. A rocking chair was set to one side of the crib. There was a small daybed along one wall and another small cabinet set off to one far corner.

Belle had decorated the nursery in greens with some browns, and, of course, a few touches of gold, somehow drawn to the colors of nature. She was almost finished with a mural she was painting on one wall, a mural of a large, ancient forest, with a sturdy picturesque cottage in the corner and a path leading to and then by the cottage. Somehow the picture had come into her mind after one of her intimate encounters with Gold. In her fancy, she thought of it as one of his memories. She knew it wasn't one of hers.

She was resting. She rested alot nowadays. She put her hand on her stomach, feeling the baby shift around. She knew that Gold almost certainly knew the gender of the child and, of course, it would have been easy to ask Archie to find out for her, but she had decided against it.

She was satisfied with how things were coming along. Everything that had to be ready was ready. She knew it would be soon. She knew Gold had wanted to have the wedding first. She was hoping she would make it. She was pretty sure she would.

She heard someone at the door. _This wasn't new. Gold was always having flowers sent over or fruit or jewelry or books or something. _She didn't think twice as she went down the stairs and opened her beautiful front door.

"Yes," she said, greeting the person who stood there. It was a figure draped in a cloak.

"Can I help you?" she asked after the figure said nothing.

"Yes dear. I was sent to bring you some apples," the figure responded. It was a woman, an old woman judging by her voice.

"Of course dear, won't you come in? Can I get you some refreshment?"

"Water would be lovely," the woman answered. "Or apple juice if you have any."

Belle turned away. And felt herself sinking.

+ + + + + _Not What They Expected_

By the time Emma and Gold had run back to his house, they found the front door opened. There was no sign of Belle.

"Damn," Gold swore. "She got here before us. If anything has happened to Belle, I don't know what I'll do."

"She's going to be ok. Belle's a smart woman," Emma tried to reassure him.

"Do you think she's ok?" Gold asked her, disbelievingly.

Emma swallowed and shook her head. "No, not really, no. Sorry." She then asked him, "What does she want with Belle? Just to hurt you?"

"She can control me through Belle," he admitted. "She knows. . . she knows I love, I love Belle," he looked Emma in the eye. "She can hurt me by hurting Belle. She can hurt me by hurting our child."

"And why does she want to hurt you?" Emma asked.

"Because I didn't love her back. I used her. I dallied with other women when I was supposed to be with her." He had started to whisper, not wanting to alert Regina that they had come inside the house.

"Oh, so this is your chickens coming home to roost. Payback for your indiscretions. Pretty harsh," Emma noted, also whispering. "But not undeserved."

"Yeah. But Belle could die for my indiscretions."

"Well, shit. Where are they, then?"

Gold closed his eyes. After a moment, he said, "Upstairs. In the nursery." They quietly climbed up the stairs. The door was open.

Regina was sitting in one of the two chairs set next to the small table. Belle was standing by her, pouring her some tea. Both women looked up at him and smiled.

"My dear Regina," Gold began. Emma was on his heels.

"Darling, Regina and I have been having the most wonderful conversation," Belle told him. "You two come in and join us. Have some tea?"

Gold was not sure what was happening. He shook his head, "I'll get something alittle stronger." He glanced at Emma. "You?"

"Something stronger for me, too," Emma agreed.

Gold carefully moved across the room, keeping Regina and Belle in his sights, moving behind them. He knelt down at the small cabinet, the top covered with baby cleansing items. He briefly took his eyes off the pair, kneeling down to reach inside the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of McCutcheon's whiskey. He grabbed two small glasses as he stood and turned. With Belle's and Regina's backs to him, he motioned to Emma, holding his hand sideways and pointing out with two fingers. _Two fingers?_

Emma looked over at Belle and Regina_. Three,_ she gestured back using the same sideways hand nodded and poured hers first and then the same for himself. He maneuvered back around to hand Emma her glass of hard liquor.

Emma whispered to him, "You keep liquor in a baby's room?"

"I've parented a child before, Emma. It's the best place to keep it."

The two moved over to the daybed and sat.

Belle had waited until the two had settled in before she began. "Regina and I have been chatting about your time together. You were a very naughty boy, Rum," Belle admonished him.

"I was," he admitted. "I'm sure I owe her an apology." _What the hell was going on? Regina was just sitting quietly while Belle served her tea. She was sipping it, already! _

He glanced at Emma. She was just as confused as he was. She had quickly bolted down half her drink already. They had expected to come in, find the place a shambles and certainly find that Regina had a gun or a Taser or, at least, a magical finger on Belle. But they had found the room well-ordered and Belle and Regina relaxing over tea. There weren't even any raised voices.

"Regina," Belle said softly. "You know what you have to do."

"Yes, yes, I do," Regina answered, calmly. "I'm to go with Lieutenant Commander Swan to be taken to Captain Nolen."

"Yes, dear. That would seem right, don't you think?. And you are going to behave yourself too, aren't you?"

"Oh yes. I will be good."

"Of course. Lovely, dear. Now run along."

Emma was stunned, but she polished off her drink and had the wherewithal to stand and escort Regina out. She glanced back at Belle and mouthed, _"What the hell?"_

Belle just smiled, "Later, Emma, later. Regina is expecting you to take her somewhere she can rest and be safe."

Gold stood and watched Emma lead a docile Regina out. "I want to know now," he insisted. He was wary in approaching Belle.

"Of course you do. Are you sure you don't want some tea, darling?"

"I want to know what happened. That woman came here to kill you and when I get here, she's about as fierce as a sleepy kitten. What happened?"

"Oh, we just chatted," Belle had sat herself down and poured herself a second cup of tea.

"Belle?" Gold was pressing.

"Well, Bae had told me that I had not developed my talents and had never really used them. So, well, when she got here, I, of course, didn't recognize her and let her in. She said she had an apple delivery for me. Then she, I guess she knocked me out with a spell or something. I lost consciousness. When I woke up, we were up here in the nursery and she was letting me know who she was and was threatening me and telling me how she was going to kill me, kill the baby, maybe kill you and so on."

"Oh god, Belle, I'm so sorry. This is my fault. If I hadn't behaved like a selfish bastard in the past. . ."

"Actually, you're right about that, but too late now. Anyway, I let her rant and it was as if I could _see _why she was so upset. She_ felt_ that she was in love with you and that you had never loved her back."

"Well, I can't vouch for her feelings, but I was certainly never in love with her," he admitted.

"She was in a lot of pain, so much pain. She had also wanted to give you a child and seeing me, as I am, was just too, too painful. She was never able to conceive with you, with anyone. I suspect she was one of the earlier Fae-hybrids, attracted to you but not fertile. And she really did want a child. It's really very sad. She's not quite sane."

"So then what happened?"

"I concentrated on making her feel sorry for herself and not so mad at me. . . or you. I convinced her that she needed, she _deserved_, to be taken care of, to go somewhere where people would look out for her. She needed to rest. She _had_ to get some rest. And that Emma would take her to a safe place."

"I'm impressed," Gold admitted. He started over to sit down next to her.

"Oh yes," Belle added as an afterthought. "I also kinda made her forget she could do magic stuff."

He stopped. "Now, I'm terrified," Gold told her. He didn't exactly back away from Belle but did stand still, regarding her cautiously.

Belle watched him out of the corner of her eye. He did seem a little nervous around her, as if she had suddenly transformed into something totally different, something frightening.

"I'm not comfortable with what I did. I mean, I went into her mind and moved some things around. I didn't know I could do that. It feels wrong, unethical."

He didn't say anything for a moment. Belle looked up at him. He was staring behind her, at her mostly finished mural.

"Who did this?" he asked hoarsely.

"I did," she answered.

"Where'd the picture come from?"

"My imagination," she answered. "Are you all right?"

He slumped down, barely making it back into one of the little chairs by the table. He was struggling to catch his breath. "I. . . I. . . I recognize it. It was from the 'before' time. I didn't think I had any memories from the 'before' time."

Belle elaborated. "You had just made love to me and we were talking about happy memories. This just came into my head."

"I remember it as happy. I think, I think that this was once my home. But now there's another memory. I had a family. But it was all burned. There were invaders. I lost my family, my home . . . I lost _everything. _I had nothing left, nothing left to lose. I remember that. It was before I went to the Fae."

"I didn't mean to upset you. I just thought it was beautiful. When the thought came into my head, it was like a memory, but I knew it wasn't mine."

He turned to her, his eyes glistening. "What else can you do? What else are you capable of?" He stood and backed away from her. He was shaking his head. "I am increasingly convinced that I need to be even more respectful than I have been about your particular skills. I mean, I can put thoughts into people's minds, but you can implant entire blocks of feelings." He looked at her closely. "You didn't put a spell on me, did you?"

Belle grinned at him. "You need to relax," she told him.

Gold shook his head, keeping his back to the door and stepping back yet another step. "I think I know you, know all about you, but then something like this happens and I'm blown away. I came here to rescue you, but you didn't need rescuing."

"No, I guess I didn't. But we do need to talk about the liquor in the baby's room," she told him.

**A.N. Obviously, not the final chapter yet; it was running just too long and I realized I wouldn't have it finished in time for a weekly posting. **

**Thanks, of course to my wonderful reviewers: Notsureyet18, thedoctorsgirl42, MyraValhallah, Dracomom, BrittanyLS, Jaybird6 (thx for the thumbs up on the Empathy route – I think the empathy is a rare and underrated talent and wanted to give Belle the talent in its most powerful manifestation), Grace5231973 and Seramarias (I took Regina in a different direction than you had proposed – couldn't handle a three-way).**

_NEXT: The Wedding, The Baby, Bae has to spill about Belle's third talent and Belle's terrible, awful secret (her words, mind you), and a petite denouement with some final words about The Alchemist. I think I will get all this covered. Thx as always txm _


	22. Second Thoughts

+ + + + + _Second Thoughts_

The wedding guest list was larger than Belle had intended, far larger. So many people from the ship, from the town, from the hospital, from their pasts. This was more like Gold's desire to invite everyone they had ever known any time during their lives.

Gold had arranged for her father to attend, something she knew had not been an easy move for either of them. She embraced her father although she knew he could not, would not, not ever understand her decision to bind herself to the alien scientist-magician. Captain Nolen had offered to step aside from giving her away, but her father had shaken his head, refusing the job. He loved his daughter, but he could not condone this relationship. She was marrying a monster as far as he was concerned. He did not want to imply he approved of the relationship by walking her down the aisle. He would attend the wedding, but no more.

It was, at the moment, right before the ceremony, and the "monster" was pacing. He had dressed himself in his finest white leather clothes with snippets of real gold on the trim. He'd polished his boots. He'd washed his face. He'd combed his hair. At the suggestion of Nolen and Bae, he'd had two stiff drinks.

"Damn, Nolen, were you this nervous before you married Snow?" he asked, not stopping his pacing.

"Hell, Gold, I've been in armed combat before. I've successfully faced down officers who outranked me. I've defended a couple of dissertations. I grew up in King George's back-stabbing court. What do you think?" Nolen was talking easily. "Of course I was nervous. Even though I was marrying the woman I loved and had no hesitation at committing to spending the rest of my life with her. I was so nervous I could've puked."

"Can Snow wipe your memory clean and convince you that you're a lost puppy?"

Nolen considered, "Probably," he agreed. "Women can do those kinds of things."

Gold ran his fingers through his hair. "I want this. I keep telling myself that I want this. And I do want this. But Belle, she's not the sweet, docile little thing I've been thinking she was. She's very powerful," he paused and added, "and she can be kind of sneaky."

"Sounds like the perfect wife for you, Papa," Bae told him. "A woman who won't let you push her around. A woman who's your equal."

Gold grimaced. "I'm not sure I want that, Bae," he replied honestly. "I think I might have preferred a woman who was amenable and compliant. That I could intimidate."

"No, you wouldn't," Bae assured him. "You would get bored quickly with such a woman."

"Maybe I should reconsider Emma," Gold said under his breath.

Bae had heard him. "Right, Papa, because Emma is so tractable and even-tempered, not to mention she's sleeping with your son, I might add."

"That's my daughter you're discussing," Nolen told them.

"She is that," Bae agreed. "Understand Captain Nolen, I've made up my mind to try to make an honest woman of her, but she's very skittish. If I move too fast, she'll rabbit on me and I won't get a second chance to woo her."

"I'm glad to hear your intentions are honorable," Nolen said to him. "Rabbit on you?" he then asked.

"Run like the scared little bunny that she is," Bae explained.

Nolen agreed. "She is a little commitment phobic."

"Do you two mind? This should be about me," Gold told the two. "I'm the commitment phobe who's marrying a woman far too good for him and a lot more powerful than he ever thought she was. I'm the one who's scared and is about to bolt."

Bae shook his head. "You're doing fine, Papa. Nolen, why don't you go find his bride? I'll drag his butt over to Snow, prop him up and help him wait for her."

"It's not that I don't love her. I don't mind telling people I love her. But this marriage thing. . . " Gold was still complaining as Bae ushered him out to the courtyard center to wait for Belle. "I didn't think it was going to be this hard."

+ + + + + _Vows and Handholding_

Emma, Snow and Ruby had helped Belle find just the right dress, a pretty white lace piece with streaks of gold embroidered to run through it. Belle thought that Gold would appreciate it. Her friends had fussed with her hair, weaving in white rose buds and golden ribbons intertwined with plaits and curls. They had tinged her eyelids, cheeks and lips with a dusting of gold glimmer, and woven a few more white rose buds into her veil.

"You look fantastic," Ruby told her.

Snow nodded in agreement, "Just beautiful, Belle. Emma, can you handle the rest?"

"Not much more to do," Emma assured them. "I think I'm on top of things."

Ruby and Snow excused themselves, Ruby to join her husband and Snow to prepare herself to officiate. As maid of honor, Belle's only attendant, Emma had stayed behind.

"Maybe I shouldn't be marrying him, Emma," Belle was also having second thoughts. "He's going to live a long, long time and I'm not. What's going to happen when I'm old and he's not?"

"Enjoy the moment, girl. You're crazy in love with the man. He's in love with you. He's certainly going to provide for you."

"I think he's going to give me a lot of babies," Belle said aloud. "Look how quickly he got me with this one."

"Well, there are things you can do about that, you know." Emma explained.

"How about you and Bae?" Belle asked abruptly, changing the subject.

"What about me and Bae?" Emma wasn't forthcoming.

"Anything new in that relationship?"

"We're going slowly. I'm ok with the pace, right now. Henry is starting to push harder than Bae for us to permanently get together. But I'm not quite ready. If Bae were to start pushing, I don't think I would handle it well." Emma stepped back. "Well, I don't think it's possible for you to look any more beautiful."

They heard a knock on the door. Emma opened the door a crack. It was Nolen.

"She's ready. How is he holding up?" Emma asked him.

"Probably what you would expect. Bae is managing him. The man's faced down dragons and firewraiths and slimekrakens and lord knows what else, but a hundred-pound woman may too much for him."

"It's good for him to be nervous sometimes," observed Belle, unconcerned. "He forgets how the rest of us mere mortals feel."

Nolen smiled at her. "Perhaps so," he agreed. "Emma if you're ready, I think we can begin."

Emma, herself dressed in a simple golden gown, gave Belle a final hug and took herself out to walk up the aisle to Snow, to wait for Belle.

"You look beautiful Belle. I'm so proud to be the one walking you up the aisle," her former captain told her.

"Thank you. I really appreciate your support on this."

"You know too, if he ever, ever does anything, anything that you can't tolerate, you know that you'll always have a home with Snow and me."

"Yes Captain. Emma's made that offer. Jefferson and Alice made that offer. Ruby and Archie made that offer. Astrid and Leroy made that offer. August Booth made that offer. Ashley Boyd made that offer. Granny made that offer. My father made that offer. Some people down at the hospital made that offer. There were some other people at your court that I didn't know very well and they made that offer. Oh heck, Henry made that offer."

"I guess a lot of us are struggling to see what you see in him, Belle. I know he loves you, but he's . . .he's. . ."

"He's different. The most fascinating, intriguing, wonderful man I've ever met. I am privileged that he chose me," Belle assured him.

Nolan stopped her before they began to go down the aisle to meet her groom. "We all love you Belle. Snow and I wish you nothing but the best."

"Thank you, Captain. Thank you."

Gold already thought of her as the most beautiful woman in the quadrant, maybe the entire galaxy, and his eyes shone in admiration as she approached him, walking with one hand holding onto Captain Nolen.

The royal princess Snow White began the ceremony. "You too love each other, don't you?" she asked them.

Emma stood by Bae during the ceremony. Their hands slowly reached out for each other's and joined together.

Jefferson, Alice and Grace sat among the invited guests. They had appeared the night before and, amidst all the last minute wedding preparation, had found a moment to let Emma know that they had been already been married in a quiet ceremony off-world. Jefferson also told Emma that Grace had let them know that they were actually her real parents. They were thrilled to find this out and had embraced the entire idea. Grace was not sitting with them, however. Emma found Henry in the crowd and saw that the two children were sitting together.

Emma glanced toward the wedding couple. Petite Belle in her gorgeous lace dress, lanced with gold and the exotic Rumplestiltskin Gold, with combed hair and dressed in his odd white leather outfit (still struggling to deal with the cold, no doubt). They were a different, but beautiful couple. Belle's face was lit up with joy and Gold seemed almost relaxed for the first time since she had known him. Emma had to smile. The man had seemed quite nervous until he saw Belle approaching him.

Emma didn't focus on the vows. She kept eyeing Bae who seemed absolutely intent on the ceremony. So like his father. So unlike his father. She had invited Bae into her bedroom and was, so far, not regretting it. He seemed to have tempered his style with her, so that he was not quite as overwhelming. She was managing better. She, unlike Belle, was careful to keep up with her birth control. She didn't want to suddenly find herself with a baby on the way. She stood idly wondering what it might be like to have Bae's child. He was certainly good with children, better than she was. Oh, and he would jump at the chance to give a baby.

Emma was aware that the couple were exchanging rings. Belle had given Gold a simple, plain golden band. Gold had obviously put some thought into what he was to give to Belle. He held out a delicately woven circlet of hair taken from both her and himself. He closed his hand over it and it was changed into an intricately woven ring. He smiled at Belle and in another moment, his hand glowing almost purple, he pulled his hand away and the ring was inset with a series of small, yet perfect sapphires, ones that matched her eyes.

"For you, my dear. I somehow had not managed an engagement ring, so this will have to do for both engagement and wedding." He took her hand and slipped the ring on her.

Emma and Bae followed the newly wedded couple down the aisle, followed next by Nolen and Snow.

Bae leaned in to Emma, "You seemed to be thinking rather hard during the ceremony."

"Did I seem that way?" she asked _Yeah, I was thinking about having your baby._ _No, she couldn't say that to him. _"Just thinking of all they've been through to get to this point.

"Uh hum," he had pulled her aside into an alcove. "We've been through a lot too," he remarked. He was running his hands up and down her arms and had begun to plant light kisses on her neck and shoulder. "You look exceptionally lovely today."

She smiled at him, "You look pretty nice yourself." She stood on tiptoes and began to kiss him back. "You taste really good," she remarked. "Like mocha chocolate."

"Like what?"

"Coffee and chocolate. You taste good, really good."

She heard him laugh, "So do you, princess. So do you. It's a sweet, spicy taste, what is it?" he was asking himself.

_Your father tells me its cinnamon. _

_No, better not share that._

+ + + + + _Dancing_

Gold danced with his bride, but then, slowly, as they came forth singly, nearly each and every woman in attendance at the wedding. Emma, Snow, Ruby, Alice, even Granny and little Grace. Astrid had finally nervously approached him.

Since he now understood that many of her problems were due both to her instinctive Fae response to what he was and to the human overlay that had disrupted her psyche, he tried to be a gentle as he could. The anxious little Fae was obviously struggling to make herself relax as he took her hand.

"Astrid," he addressed her. "You look lovely. And we've all heard your happy news. Congratulations." He was smiling at her and caught her looking up at him with a timid smile.

She spoke almost in a whisper, "Leroy tells me that without your help, he and I would have never gotten together. I want to thank you for everything."

"I was glad to help and I'm happy that things still seem to be going well."

"They're going wonderfully, except. . ." she stopped as if she had said too much. "Well, sometimes it's awfully dark on Dragondwell, down in the mines. I miss the sunshine."

"Tell Leroy. He knows what you are. Sunshine's important to your species. He'll have some ideas of what to do."

She nodded. "Yes, yes, I shall do that." Astrid glanced over to Belle who was dancing with Archie. "Your wife. She is very beautiful."

"I think so," he readily agreed.

"How did you? Why did she? You and she are. . . " Astrid wanted to say something but it wasn't coming out.

"What does she see in me?" he asked the little Fae. "I don't know. I puzzle over it. I accept her love and I'm very grateful for it, but I don't understand why she loves me either," he confessed.

They danced together in quiet for a while and finally Astrid shared, "This isn't so bad. I don't know why I was so afraid of you, except perhaps that I was so afraid of everything."

"Maybe so. Leroy has certainly helped you."

"He has. Thank you, sir. And you're a very good dancer," she said as they parted ways.

"One of my few natural skills," he gave her a flourishing bow, causing her to smile back at him.

The reception continued on through the afternoon and eventually into the evening when it became more of a street party. After having spent an afternoon away from each other, dancing with virtually everyone in attendance (with the exception of the first dance with each other), the happy couple was finally able to reunite, sitting outside on the large porch in front of the court. They sat next to each other, Gold in a chair and Belle curled up at his feet, her beautiful dress pooled around her.

"I thought I liked dancing," Belle told him. "But my feet are tired."

"Not too tired, I hope," he said, running his fingers through her hair, pulling out rose buds, destroying the plaits and ribbons that had been woven into her locks. He gave her his slow smile that always made her want to melt into him.

"I'm absolutely exhausted. You're going to have to do everything," she told him, feeling suddenly shy around the man she was now able to call 'husband.'

Gold kept his slow smile. "That sounds interesting," and he gently pulled her up onto his lap. "Any hard limits, wife?" he asked as he was tracing over the bodice of her dress and beginning to plant light kisses along her jawline, not quite going to her mouth.

"You know me, husband," Belle was smiling back at him. "I'm not into pain." His attentions were making her feel shivery.

"But it's acceptable if I make you beg?"

Belle considered. She'd had enough experience with the man when he decided to get creative. Begging was one of the least of the things he could make her do. There was moaning, screaming, crawling, licking, and those were just some of the things he could do without using any toys. She hesitated, "I don't like begging."

She had answered him honestly. Yet she knew that it seemed to appease something deep within him when he was able to drive her to the depths of desire, so much so that she would plead with him not to stop. Having a beautiful woman beg for his favors, his attentions, seemed to sooth his ego, to reassure him, to make him feel less a monster.

"But it's acceptable?" he pressed her.

She managed a tiny nod, glancing at him enough to see that his eyes had turned almost entirely black.

He would make her beg.

"Let's go home, then." He rose and held his hand out to her to help her stand. And so while the celebrations continued, they walked home together.

+ + + + + _Waiting_

Belle was halfway expecting that Bae, Emma and Henry would be taking off in _Happy. _She suspected they were just waiting around for the baby to be born. They were definitely working on something together but they hadn't shared and she did not like to pry.

She was getting tired of waiting. It had gotten increasingly difficult for her to get around, even simple things like getting out of the bed in the morning and getting both into and out of plush chairs. The baby seemed to be pushing on her lungs, making her often short of breath. Archie had told her the child was well into position and could come anytime.

'Anytime' stretched into days, then more than a week. She was imagining herself a year from now, much expanded, still pregnant. '_Anytime,' Archie was still saying, the baby can come 'anytime.'_

"Oh just get here already," she told the baby, crossly. Today had been more difficult than most and she was tired and her back hurt. She'd been having pre-contractions for a while now. Tolerable for sure. With the baby pushing on all her internal organs, she found that she could tolerate only the smallest of meals and would then, as often as not, get indigestion. She had to pee nearly every hour, including all through the night. She was so ready for this baby to come.

Emma had dropped by, as she did almost every day. If it wasn't Emma, it was Snow and sometimes, Ruby.

Emma was looking at her. "You are disgustingly beautiful. You just about glow."

"Are you kidding?! I'm fat and bloated and gassy and I have to pee all the time. I'm burning up and with Gold's problem with managing cold, we aren't particularly compatible right now. He doesn't sleep so he often just bundles up and cuddles with me."

Emma had to giggle. "Cuddles? Gold cuddles? That's an image."

Belle giggled too. "He can be seriously sweet, when he's not being, you know, Gold." She stood and massaged her back.

"Are you all right?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, I've been having some back pain and I think I'm getting some contractions."

"You think?"

"Not too bad. I've been walking a lot and that seems to help." As she soon she stood, she grabbed the back of the chair. "Ok, that one was a bit rougher. Maybe we should go ahead and walk over to the hospital."

"Belle, Gold will skin me alive, if he thinks I let you walk over to the hospital when you were in labor. I'll get a vehicle."

"No, no, no. The walking helps. I'm not going to drop the baby out on the way over. This may be nothing and I'm over-reacting because it's my first and I don't know what to expect. I'll tell him that I didn't tell you I was having contractions," Belle told her.

Emma wasn't happy. "Don't you complain when he lies to you? Besides, even if you could get away with it with him, if he asks me, and he will, well, I'll cave. The man reads me like a pre-primer."

Belle paused a moment and had to agree. "You're right. We'll tell him that I thought it would be better if I walked the short distance over to the hospital. The walking helps the cramping. And that's the truth."

Emma began timing as they leisurely walked towards the hospital. The contractions were still irregular and none were closer than ten minutes apart. They did have plenty of time.

Archie recognized what was happening immediately as they walked in. He called in an orderly and got Belle into one of his patient rooms. He gave her a quick examination.

"Looks like you're in the very earliest stages of labor, Belle. Contractions are still a ways apart, irregular and not very strong. You are beginning to dilate, but the baby won't be coming right away. Why don't you get comfortable and I'll call in your husband."

Belle smiled at Emma. "My husband. My husband is coming. My husband will be here soon. My husband is going to help me. That's really nice to be able to say."

"It would be nice if he could help you take down the pain and maybe take on some of the contractions himself," Emma observed, not envying her friend for the coming trials.

Belle considered. "You know, I wonder if maybe he can. I know Bae can help lessen the pain. And I believe that I could be capable of giving Gold some of the discomfort that comes from the contractions, not all, mind you. Just some."

"That would be evil, Belle, really evil. Can you really do that?"

"I think so. I might have to touch him."

By the time Gold got to the hospital, the contractions were just less than ten minutes apart. Archie was pleased with the progress. "It's still going to be awhile. She's in early labor. Go in, talk with her. If she wants to walk around, let her. Massage her back if she wants it. Keep giving her pep talks." He directed, "I'll be around, but it's not going to happen anytime soon."

Gold was holding Belle's hand. She smiled at him. "Thank you for coming. I know it's going to be awhile yet."

"Bae is coming," he promised her. "He's good at diminishing pain. I see him do it all the time. It's one of his talents."

"Great. That sounds great."

It was another hour before Bae arrived. Belle was still progressing slowly, but Archie wasn't concerned. "She's a first time mom. It does take awhile," he reassured them.

Archie had asked Belle if she thought she could use any medication and she had shaken her head. "Not just yet, thanks."

It was more than three hours since her arrival at the hospital. It was that time between late afternoon and early evening. Belle had insisted that Bae, Emma and Gold go and get something to eat. She also made sure that Emma had made some arrangements for Henry (he was to stay with Snow and Nolen for the duration). She was trying to keep herself hydrated, but didn't really feel like eating.

By the time Gold got back from supper, he found Belle sitting up in the bed. "I've changed my mind," she told him. "I don't think I'm going to go through with this."

"Of course, dear," Gold agreed with her. "Whatever you want."

"I don't think you understand. I'm not going through with the delivery and everything else. I'm just going to go home and sleep."

"Of course, darling," Gold was still quite agreeable. "Whatever you want."

"Can you help me up?"

"Absolutely," he held out his arm. Belle took his arm just as a particularly ugly contraction hit.

"Oh damn," she said digging her fingers into his arm. She looked up at Gold. "I'm sorry dear." She closed her eyes and, even Bae and Emma, not touching her, standing just inside the room could feel it.

Gold nearly went down; she was sending him her pain. "All right dear." He somehow managed to remain standing and helped Belle back into the bed. "Let's do some timing here."

"Oh dear," Belle said. "I think I've just peed the bed."

Gold glanced down. "Your water broke. Emma, go get Archie, we need an update here. Bae, help her out, can you?"

Bae moved in and took her hand in one of his. He rested his other hand on her forehead. "Deep breaths, Belle, deep breaths."

The man was amazing. Belle felt her pain slip away into discomfort and her discomfort slip into a barely there sensation of heat and pressure. "Is that better?' he asked her.

"It's wonderful. You'll stay with me?"

"As long as you want," he promised her. "We're going to need to get you changed out of the wet clothes, Belle. I'm going to step over to the cabinet and see what I can find."

A new set of sheets and fresh hospital gown were produced from the cabinet. Gold lifted Belle up and cradled her while sitting in one of the room chairs.

"You're going to get all messy," she told him.

"I'm going to be fine. You're going to be fine," he assured her. He held her until an orderly came in and changed the sheets. He helped Belle change her gown.

After another two hours, Belle was insisting that she was going to die and that there was something awful she needed to share before death took her down. Gold assured her that she wasn't dying. Bae took her hand and she drifted off, half asleep.

"I may have destroyed something," she murmured. "It wasn't mine to destroy." She tried to talk as she went into a drowsy state.

It was another four hours before Belle finally delivered a healthy girl. Belle was elated after the delivery and was able to hold and cuddle the baby. Gold was nearly dead on his feet. Although Bae had helped manage nearly all of the pain and discomfort, during those scattered moments it had hit, Belle had transmitted it through and out to him. For someone who had endured days, weeks, possibly months of torture, he perceived labor pains as one of the dull, cold pains, one of the hardest types of pain for him to manage. He had never respected Belle more. He had never loved her more.

**A.N. Well I thought I was going to get through the last couple of items and have the story polished off with this last chapter, but obviously still have Belle's secret to share and Belle's final talent to be revealed. OK,maybe this time for real – one more chapter to go. Thx txm**

**Many thanks to my incredible reviewers Seramarias, Dracomom, Jaybird6, NightowlsNest, Grace5231973,and BrittanyLS. (You people make me feel amazing – your terrific insights and comments have actually molded great chunks of this story, making it better than it would have been had it come solely from my own thoughts). I'm glad people are appreciating the 'empathy' talent and the effort at making Belle a strong character capable not only of taking care of herself but perhaps standing toe-to-toe to Rumple (even if it makes him a bit uncomfortable). txm **


	23. Confession, Final Talent and Final Words

+ + + + + _Confession_

It was a day after a beautiful baby girl had come into their lives. Belle had dozed off. Gold was lying down, still recovering from the sympathetic labor pains his dear, sweet, darling, precious wife had lambasted him with. He was resting on a cot in the room when Emma came in to talk with him. "Are you all right?" Emma had asked him, whispering so as not to disturb Belle or the baby who was sleeping next to her mother in a bassinette.

"Just dandy. Very tired. Very impressed with Belle. Very proud papa."

"Beautiful girl you have there. Takes after her mother."

"Thank goodness for that," he agreed.

"Got a name picked out?"

"Oh lord, no." he said, but, after a moment, he admitted, "Yeah. I haven't run it by Belle yet. Maybe Realta. It means 'star' in an old language."

Emma was quick. "'Real-ta,' like in Reul as in the Reul Ghorm?"

"Well, in a manner of speaking, the Reul Ghorm is that child's grandmother. It couldn't hurt anything to flatter her by naming the baby after her and maybe get the old bat on the baby's side."

Belle was stirring. She had heard the voices and pulled herself awake.

"Hey everybody. It's over, huh?"

"One part's over," Gold assured her.

"I'm so sorry about shooting the pains over to you," she told her husband, finally getting a chance to apologize. "Emma suggested it and once I got it into my head I couldn't resist the thought and then it just started happening," she confessed.

Gold glanced at Emma and squinted his eyes. He mouthed _thank you_ at her _but didn't actually seem grateful, more irritated_. Emma grinned back at him. _He'd make her pay, that was for sure. _Then Gold turned to Belle and smiled. "I'm fine. I survived. I'm sure every woman who's ever given birth was cheering for you. They've all got to have wanted to do what you did," he granted. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes. No." Belle was very hesitant. "I really do need to tell you all something. Something bad that I did. Where's Bae? He should hear this too."

"Oh, your deep, dark secret." Emma was curious. Her sweet, open friend could not possibly have a deep, dark secret. _What was up?_

"Get Bae," Belle insisted.

While she was waiting for Emma to fetch Bae, Belle pulled herself up to a sitting position. "Where's my baby?" she asked.

"Next to you, darling," Gold pointed to a bassinette next to her bed, but set a bit lower. "Sleeping, like the little angel she is."

"Oh yeah. We got through that first nursing all right," Belle remembered.

She reached over and touched her daughter's dark brown hair. It was long and there was a bit of curl. She remembered the baby's eyes were dark, very dark, like Gold's eyes would turn when he was angry or upset _or aroused_. But then, baby's eyes would change color. She knew that. The baby had pretty, pale pink skin, like her mother's. Belle stroked and patted the perfectly formed little girl. Gold had come to stand by her and he, too, gently touched his little daughter, just as Belle just had.

"She is beautiful, isn't she?" Belle asked him.

"Gorgeous," he agreed without hesitation. "Probably not the best time to talk with you about having another one," he remarked.

"No dear. Not hardly," she replied giving him just a bit of a glower.

Emma had come back into the room and she was standing. She looked wistfully over at the sweet family scene, looking at the baby with a bit of longing in her eyes.

Gold caught the look, "Bae would be more than happy to give you one of your own, dear Emma."

She winced. "I don't know. I mean, right now I can walk away. When it's your own. . . well, you better not."

Belle assured her, "When it's your own, you won't want to walk away."

Bae had been located in another part of the hospital and come back into the room. "Yeah, Belle, what's up?"

"This is so very hard. I didn't remember this at first, but slowly it has all come back to me. I have been sitting on this terrible, awful secret. I thought I could live with it, but it just keeps haunting me. I have to confess." She didn't say anything, so Gold and Emma decided to help.

"Belle did you kill someone?" Gold asked first, his voice somber and serious.

"Oh, good grief, no," Belle quickly answered, horrified.

"Did you cheat on Gold with your best friend's fellow? If that's what it is, I can completely understand how something like that could happen and I would totally forgive you," Emma said solemnly.

Belle looked hard at her. After a moment, she said, gently, "No you wouldn't, Emma. You'd be furious with me."

Emma looked as if she'd been betrayed, but after her own moment, nodded her head in agreement. "You're right, I would never be as understanding as you were."

"Did you commit perjury and have some innocent person suffer because of your lies? Maybe you killed a unicorn? Maybe you led someone over to dark magic and corrupted them?" Gold followed up with more questions, more possibilities.

"Oh no, those would be mean, horrible things to do."

"Did you abscond with money set aside for widows and orphans? Did you take something that didn't belong to you?" Gold persisted with questioning.

"This is all stuff you have done, isn't it?" Belle asked her husband, suddenly perceptive.

"Well, yeah. Belle, you knew I wasn't a bear scout when you married me. I've lived a long time and I've done some pretty reprehensible things. Now, did you take something? While you were in labor, you'd said something about destroying something that wasn't yours to destroy."

Belle dropped her eyes and everyone knew this was the problem.

"What did you destroy?" Gold asked her, patiently.

Belle struggled with herself. "All right, I guess I need to start at the beginning."

"Good place," Gold murmured.

After a brief moment, Belle began, "You all know how the Reul Ghorm did this thing to me so that I forgot everything about my personal life. Who I was. Where I came from. All of that."

Bae responded, "Yes Belle, we know. My father kissed you and everything came back."

Belle reached out and took Gold's hand, "Thank you forever for that," she told him, then continued, "And, at first, I forgot everything that I had done while I was under the Reul Ghorm's control."

Bae nodded. "That's pretty standard, Belle. I've heard that from a lot from people who've been in similar circumstances. You know you're not responsible for anything you might have done while you were under her power."

Belle cringed and everyone knew Bae had hit a nerve.

"What did you do while you were under her power, Belle?" Gold was brutally straightforward in pursuing her secret.

Belle took a deep breath. "You know she had me working on their computer files, actually the entire computer system. It was seriously outdated and there were no firewalls or any type of protections. Well, as I worked on it, I began to realize what was going on, that I was looking at years, centuries of nasty experimentation on humans. . . all to breed this hybrid human. I realized what they were doing, what was going on. I . . . I was appalled. I was infuriated. I was at a loss as to what to do. I couldn't confront the Reul Ghorm; even in my stupor I recognized that she was the mastermind, the power behind everything that was going on."

"So what did you do?" Emma asked.

"OK, when I was in school, training for my job as Information Officer, I learned all about computer viruses, worms, Trojans, everything there was to know about them. They're bad, really bad. And I think the people who create them are bad, really bad. I got to know all about them so I would know how to detect them and know what to do to eradicate them."

She stopped a moment, took another deep breath and continued, "Apparently all that knowledge was still in my brain. It wasn't hard for me to create my own virus. I created, I think, a very, very powerful virus. It's very fast moving and, if it's triggered, it will, in a matter of seconds, wipe every record, go into every computer that ever connects with it and wipe their records, wipe out _everything_ that has to do with the experiment."

"What's the trigger?" Gold inquired.

"If they should add any new records, anything about a subject not already in the system."

"So if they try to alter or breed someone else, all of their data will be . . . " Emma began.

"Completely erased, irrevocably, totally . . . eradicated, absolutely destroyed."

Emma and Gold looked at each other and slight smiles appeared on their faces, followed by ever broadening smiles and finally, Emma began to giggle and Gold began to laugh. Soon they were both laughing hard enough that Emma was wiping away tears.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Belle ordered. "Both of you! This is not funny! This is an awful thing I did!"

"It's a wonderful, incredibly clever thing you did, Belle," Gold was unable to suppress his smile. "You have restored my faith, or maybe it's my lack of faith, in human nature. This is perfection. You were under the Reul Ghorm's power when all this happened, so you can't be held responsible. Understand, since our time there, the Fae have promised everyone that they have quit the experimentation, so if they're being honest, nothing will happen and the experiments will have really stopped. If they aren't being honest, the first time they enter in data they will lose everything and they won't be able to go forth with the experiments because they won't know what to do next. They would have to start completely over and I don't think the Reul Ghorm will get her people to agree to that. And there isn't anything they can do about the lost data. To complain that the data base disappeared will reveal they have lied and continued with human experimentation," Gold summarized.

"It's genius, Belle. It's genius. You have singlehandedly shut down the whole experiment," Emma praised her.

"This is not something to be celebrated. I know that what they were doing was inexcusable but for me to do something that would lose all that information, not warn them, just to do it. For me to destroy it was wrong, no matter what was to be gained."

"Two wrongs don't make a right?" Bae asked her.

"You understand," Belle seemed relieved. At last, one of these people understood her.

"I understand why you feel that what you did was wrong, but I agree with Emma and Gold. What you did was pure genius. What happens next entirely relies on the actions of the Fae. If they are honorable then there will be no problem. Only if they make the wrong choice will things happen. They are the ones who will bring down retribution. . . or not."

Belle was shaking her head. "But hundreds of years of data. It could all be gone. Just gone. What if one of those poor people in the data base wants to know something? How will they ever find out? They should have a right to know."

"They can check with our copy," Emma answered.

"Our copy?" Belle asked.

"Did you forget? You downloaded a copy to us on board _Happy._" Belle was shaking her head._ "_It was part of why you went down to Zona for us in the first place," Emma reminded her. "Anyone who has a legitimate need to see the records, can just ask us."

Bae patted Belle, "Belle, you just set up it up so that the Fae are responsible for their own fate. You didn't do anything terrible."

"Are you sure?" she asked him. "You really think that what I did was not terrible, horrible?"

"Not at all," Bae assured her. He nodded towards Gold and Emma, "And I think these two applaud what you did and totally approve."

"Thank you Bae. At least you understand why I'm so distressed." Belle squeezed the hand of her son-in-law. "You're a good friend and you actually seem to have a moral compass, unlike some others in this room," she gave her husband and her best friend a hard look.

+ + + + + _A Truly Powerful Empath_

Realta was three months old. Her eyes were staying very dark. She and her mother had settled into a quiet routine. Gold continued working every couple of days at the hospital and then spent other time at court or at the space dock, brokering deals for goods and services. The man loved to make money, one way or another.

As Gold had done before the baby was born, he continued to shower his wife with tokens of his affection, from the trivial, perhaps a single simple rose, to the extravagant, such as a diamond and sapphire necklace.

Today he had sent her a bouquet of flowers. She stood in her kitchen looking up at the vases she had unwisely, unthinkingly, stored on the top shelf of her cabinet. Definitely out of her reach. She glanced over. She could drag the stepstool over. But then she had a moment of whimsy. She had, on a few rare occasions, seen her husband just pull things over to himself or push them away using only the power of his mind.

Could she?

She reached out with her hands, concentrated on the crystal vase she wanted and _pulled._ Nothing happened.

One more time. She closed her eyes. _Pull._

Nothing happened.

_How the heck did he do it? _

She took an exasperated breath and told the vase, "_Come."_

And it did.

She barely managed to catch it, she was so surprised, so stunned.

"I didn't know you were telekinetic."

At the unexpected sound of his voice, she turned rapidly and, simultaneously, dropped the vase. It was her husband. He had seen the entire episode.

"I didn't. . .I didn't. . . I am as surprised. . . I didn't know I could do that! You shouldn't be sneaking up on people like that!"

Gold was looking at her speculatively as he pulled the shards of the vase up and meshed them together so that the crystal construct was as clear and lovely as it had been before it had been shattered.

"Why did you try to do it?" he asked her. He was regarding her closely.

"I don't know. I didn't want to drag the stepstool over and I wanted the vase. I've seen you do stuff like that, so I thought I'd try." She somehow felt ashamed, as if he had caught her being naughty.

"So you just did it," he said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I guess I did." She was blushing and looking down at the floor. _Was he mad at her? _She knew she could _read _him_, _but was afraid that would really make him mad.

She peeked up at him. His face was implacable. It was a long moment. She couldn't stand it anymore. _What was he thinking?_

She very gently reached out with her mind . . . _and hit a wall._

"Don't you dare," he warned her.

She dropped her eyes again. "Are you mad at me?" she asked in a tiny voice.

He waited a moment before responding.

"No, my sweet. But I am trying to figure you out. I thought I knew what empaths were capable of. But you just pulled out a telekinetic move. _Where the hell did that come from?"_

"I don't know," Belle sounded almost frightened and Gold knew he needed to back off some. _She really didn't know what was happening. _

He had another sudden thought.

"Belle, can you throw a fireball?"

"A what?"

"Come with me," he took her by the arm and took her outside. They stood in their back garden. Belle had done a little bit of work but mostly had simply planned out future plantings for the next spring.

"Come stand here," he directed. "Wait here." He went the back of the yard and, after looking around, found some landscaping bricks. He propped them up. The he walked back to her.

"Blow those up," he told her.

"I don't know how," she told him.

"Just do it. Feel the heat coming up from within, focus on it and blow those bricks up."

"I don't know how," she protested.

"Do it, Belle," his tone was final. It was a voice he rarely used with her.

Timidly, Belle raised her hand, as she had seen him do and focused on the bricks.

Nothing happened.

"Do it," he commanded her.

"I can't," she told him again.

He raised his voice. "Do it, Belle. Now!"

"I can't," she was near tears. "Why are you doing this to me?"

He did not speak kindly. "I need to know, Belle. Just how powerful you are. I need to be sure my wife can take care of herself. That she's not just some weepy, fainting weak creature who's going to need me to bail her out every time a bogey man comes along."

Belle was staggered. He had never talked this harshly to her, demeaning, so angrily, not even when she was his prisoner, pretending to be his bed toy, in the Dark Castle.

When she didn't respond, he said snidely, "Maybe I should have stuck with Emma. The Reul Ghorm had thought she was a better mate for me. A strong woman. Capable. Competent."

Belle nearly swung on him. "You bastard! I don't know what game you're playing, but you cannot talk to me that way. You want me to blow up those bricks," she turned and a fireflash flew out of her hands and disintegrated the bricks. "There, I blew them up!"

Then she stood a moment, looking at her hands. . . and started crying.

Gold was smiling at her. He reached for her but she pulled away from him.

"Leave me alone! I've just had fire come out of my hands and it hurts! Really hurts! I didn't know I could do that! What is happening to me? I hope you're satisfied!" she turned away and began to stomp back to the house.

He grabbed her. "Madam, I'm about to be satisfied." And he was kissing her. She tried to twist away and pushed against him.

"Let me go, you son of a bitch," she was furious.

He ignored her. "I understand what you are now, Belle, and I'm not about to let you go." He was still kissing her and she found her knees beginning to weaken. _How could she respond to him when she was so angry with him? It was humiliating. _She continued to push against him but made no headway.

"Let me go," she pleaded with him. "Stop it."

"Not a chance," he told her. He was pulling her back into the house, dragging her, forcing her. She was desperately trying to stop him, still angry with him, not willing to yield, to submit to his demands. As he pressed her against the wall of the kitchen, pulling up her skirts, pushing his hands up her thighs, positioning himself between her legs, she continued to plead with him.

"Please, please, stop it."

He stopped for a moment, his eyes, blackened with desire, "You are my wife. You cannot say 'no' to me."

"Yes I can. Please don't take me like this. I'm not your whore!" She continued to try to push him away.

"You have been," he reminded her cruelly, crudely.

She closed her eyes and stopped pushing against him. She spoke softly, "I know you can force me, but please don't. Not right now. I'm terrified. Something is happening to me. I don't know what it is. Help me. Please don't hurt me. "

He relaxed a moment, his breathing slowing, "You're going to be all right. I know what's happening to you." He stepped away from her and she nearly fell, finding herself leaning against the wall for balance. "Bae had said you were a powerful empath. I have never encountered a truly powerful empath before and didn't realize what that meant. I thought that you just read feelings, like those of us with talent read thoughts. How sweet, I had thought. Then I found out you were a _pusher_, you can put feelings _into_ the heads of people. How nice, I had thought. But your empathy covers so much more. You seem to _absorb_ the talents of others and can, with some limitations it would seem, use those talents. How intimidating."

"I _absorb _talents?" Belle was puzzled. "What does that mean? How does that work?"

"I don't know the details. We shall have to experiment. You may have to touch the person. You may have to be in their vicinity for a certain amount of time. It may relate as to how much talent your . . . focus-person has. It would make sense you can mimic my talents since we've had extensive contact," he looked at her smiling, "intimate contact."

"How long. . . how long does it last? If I absorb a talent, how long will I have it?"

He shrugged, "Don't know. Something else we'll have to find out." He stepped back in between her legs. "Right now, I need to know that, despite all your powers, you will still come when I call."

"What? Why?" Belle was confused at his insistence at pursuing his marital rights.

"You are potentially one of the most powerful women in the quadrant, perhaps a rival for the Reul Ghorm herself. Besides her, I've never known anyone else to be my equal. It's daunting. I need to know that you are still my wife, that you will still tremble at my touch, still yield to me, still give to me the things a woman gives to her husband."

"You need to know that I still love you?" she asked. "Of course I do."

It was apparently the right thing for her to say. He was much more gentle as he pulled her away from the wall and set her on the kitchen table, bending her over backwards.

+ + + + + _The Final Talent_

Later than very evening, Emma and Bae had accepted an invitation and come by for supper at the Gold's. It was a typical early fall evening, the temperature cool, but not yet cold. Leaves had begun to change colors. Belle and Bae were sitting on the back terrace relaxing while they drank some white wine, snacking on fruit and cheese. Gold had taken the baby out into the backyard and was moving around with the child who was alert and giggling, happily interacting with her father who had his total attention on the infant. Emma was out with them, moving around, trying to keep up with Gold. Belle's sharp eyes had caught a slender silver-toned circlet on one of Emma's fingers.

"What is he doing?" Bae asked, puzzled.

"Dancing with the baby," Belle explained. "He's often out there with her. . . dancing. They both seem to enjoy it."

Bae laughed. "Sounds like him."

Emma looked at Bae. "He was a good father wasn't he?"

Bae was silent for a moment, "Yes, yes he was. He was devoted to me. I always came first. When we were first separated I missed him so much." There was a catch in Bae's voice. "I didn't think I would ever stop hurting. I missed him so much. The Fae tried to convince me that I was better off without him. That he didn't really love me, but I knew better. After a while though, I gave up hope of ever seeing him again."

Belle just sat with Bae. She didn't say anything.

"You have the rare gift of silence," Bae observed.

"What could I possibly say? I can't make it better. I can't make it go away. I feel for you, but I can never feel what you went through," Belle responded.

"Actually, _you _can, my dear," Bae told her. "But I won't ask you too. I wouldn't ask anyone to relive what I lived through."

"Thank you. I'm still struggling with all this empathy stuff. I feel overwhelmed by it all."

Bae squinted at her, "Ah yes. I can see that you've reached a new level. You're just starting to discover the true nature of your particular empathic powers. You have found out that you can absorb, without hurting the person, their powers, their abilities, at least for a short time. I don't know how long, but, what are you finding? A couple of hours?"

Belle took a deep breath. "I'm not really sure how long it lasts. I seem to _become_ the other person, at least a reflection of some aspect of that person, without losing myself."

"That is the true gift of your empathy."

"Wow, this will take a long time to get used to."

"There's something else, Belle," Bae began and he reached over and touched her hand.

"What? You have something else to tell me about myself?"

"I do," he began gently.

"Whatever could this be?" Belle wasn't concerned. Bae didn't seem stressed by whatever he was about to share. _Not a difficult read for her._

"The Fae were concerned about creating females for my father that would only be fleeting in their ability to keep his affection. You see, the Reul Ghorm really did want him to be happy and she knew that a woman with an ordinary lifespan wouldn't be enough to keep his affection, that he wouldn't be able to bond with such a woman. Women with regular lifespans would be minor dalliances to him."

Although Belle trusted her own abilities to read feelings she didn't trust her limited mind-reading abilities (acquired from Gold, no doubt). "So women who were altered to find him attractive were also altered to. . . what? live a little longer?"

Bae sat quietly. "Try, they were altered to live a lot longer."

Belle caught her breath. She sat for a moment. "How much longer are we talking about?"

"At least a couple of hundred years."

Belle sat quietly. "A couple of hundred years?"

"Uh hum," Bae answered.

"Does _he_ know?" she asked.

Bae smiled, "Not a clue. It's so much more fun to let him discover these things on his own."

"The other women that were altered, that would include Emma?"

"It would," Bae agreed.

"Does she know?"

"No, she doesn't. She's unnerved about the whole magical powers things right now. If I hit her with the greatly extended life span, she might just fall apart on me."

"You have it too, don't you?" Belle asked him, looking deeply into him. And she abruptly realized that she was seeing him as he saw others, as layers of lights and substance. _He had touched her hand__._ Bae could _see_ talents the way that other people saw hair color and eye color. That was how he had known what she was. _Well, that and having had time to mostly memorize the Fae data base._

Bae looked at her. "You just absorbed me, didn't you? I touched you and now you're seeing what I see. We'll have to see how long it lasts."

Belle had glanced outside. She took a quick, sharp intake of breath. "Good grief. Is that what you see when you look at those two?" She turned to Bae who was shrugging and shaking his head.

"What are you seeing?" he asked her. "I have no way to compare what I see with what others see. I just know I do see people differently."

"I see colors, spreading out all over. Lotsa red around Rum and blue around Emma but other colors are there too. I'm not sure I know the name of all these colors," she smiled at him. "What is all that around my baby? It's like a clear white light with red streaks."

Bae was still smiling at Belle. "Like her mother," he answered her, "and her father."

Belle nodded, "Oh. She's like us both, then." Belle sat quietly absorbing this piece of information. She looked sharply at him. "You see pain and illness too, not just talents."

He nodded.

"Interesting." She sat a moment longer. "You are so much easier for me to talk with than your father. Did you . . . Have you ever thought . . . that if we had met first. . . ?"

He laughed. "We're with the right people, Belle. You and I are too much alike. We need a little volatility, unpredictability in our lives. Emma certainly gives that to me and I'm pretty certain my father offers a certain level of excitement to you."

Belle found herself blushing, remembering her husband's actions earlier that morning. Bae caught the blush. "Ah yes, I can see he does."

"I saw Emma was wearing a ring," she told him, wanting to pull the attention off of herself.

"Yes, she finally accepted my offer and we're engaged, but we're keeping it fairly quiet."

"Not with that ring you won't. What is it? Emeralds set in rhodium?"

"Exactly. I borrowed the idea from my papa. A simple ring with stones the color of my fianceé's eyes."

+ _Not Ready (the same evening)_

Out in the garden, Emma had coaxed the baby away from her doting father and was holding the little girl.

Gold's eyes had immediately gone to her ring.

"That's nice," his expert eye assessing it quickly. "Engagement?"

"Yeah. Bae asked. I accepted. No date yet. No need to hurry."

"No need," Gold was obligingly agreeable.

"He's thinking of starting a school, where we identify kids with potential talent and train them to use their abilities. Bae is spotting these kids. They are starting to turn up all over the place. Some of the children the Fae last altered we think. None have started showing their talents yet, not like Henry or Grace were doing. Do we know what this little one can do?" she asked him.

"She can get her papa to do any number of things that no other female has ever been able to. I sing to her. Tell her stories. Dance with her." He caught Emma's eyes and continued, "When talents are inborn they usually don't manifest until late childhood or even adolescence, when the subject is better able to deal with them. Grace and Henry are exceptional."

"All right. So no clue, huh?"

"Actually I do know, because that's. what. I. do. She's going to be pretty powerful. She has traits of both parents."

Emma laughed. "You are so going to have your hands full when she's a teenager."

"Looking forward to it, Emma. Are you sure you don't want one of your own?"

"Yeah, but I don't know if I'm ready."

"Emma, you're never ready to be a parent. You just do it."

+ _Break for Ice Cream (the same evening)_

Emma came inside carrying the laughing, giggling baby. Gold was immediately behind. "Just in time for ice cream, I hope," he said, giving his bride a quick kiss and sitting down beside her.

"As you wish, my dear," Belle told him. She quickly rose and went back into the kitchen.

"Do you need any help?" Emma called, sitting down, still cuddling little Realta.

"I've got it, thanks," Belle shouted back, disappearing through the patio door.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me that her empathic skills included absorbing the powers of others?" Gold asked his son in a quiet, urgent tone. "She's in constant contact with me so she's beginning to manifest everything I can do. With my powers, Emma's emerging abilities and what skills she's picking up from you, and whoever else she just happens to run into, Belle is an atomic bomb of psi abilities."

"What? Has she immobilized you after getting put out with one of your many irritating behaviors?" Emma asked.

"No," Gold admitted.

"Killed anyone, accidently? Or on purpose?" Bae asked

"No," Gold responded.

"Is she transmuting straw into gold, cutting into your trade?" Emma asked a second question.

"No," Gold answered, glaring at her.

"Committed perjury and sent innocent people to jail? Led someone over to the dark side?" Bae persisted.

"No," Gold replied.

"So what's the problem?" Emma asked him.

Gold hesitated. "I just know that she _could, _she could do any of that."

"No, she couldn't," Emma told him. "And you know that."

Belle had returned with ice cream.

+ _Final Words (that same evening)_

They had finished dessert and Emma had gone upstairs with Gold to help get the baby ready for bed. Belle would be up later for a final nursing with her little angel.

"You think having Emma around Realta is going to convince her that she wants a baby," Belle had observed.

"Absolutely," Bae agreed. "Every time we leave here, Emma is that little bit closer to saying 'yes'."

"You know, all this time, I thought that you were not as conniving and manipulative as your father, but now. . . " Belle shook her head. "Now, I'm not so sure."

Bae was smiling. "I think I'm in for the greater good. I hope I am. But I am quite capable of manipulating others to get what I want," he admitted. "And I do want Emma," he confessed. He sat quietly with Belle for a moment and then began, "You know one of the names that my father acquired was 'The Alchemist'."

"I knew that. It was because he could change ordinary substances into gold," Belle confirmed.

"I think what he was doing was easy compared to what you have done."

"What have I done?" Belle asked.

"You took a very angry, very dangerous man and turned him almost back to his human self again. A very powerful human self, but the humanity is definitely back."

Belle shook her head. "I don't think what I did was special."

"It's not just my father that you've changed. Emma is not so bitter and as angry as I think she once was. Even Regina is healing from the damage the Fae did to her. And there's Astrid, Snow, even the Reul Ghorm has been touched and tempered from your contact."

Belle still shook her head.

Bae smiled. "Belle, my dear, what my father did was a matter of moving around a few particles of molecules. What you've done is to heal up some damaged souls. Much harder. Creating beauty from pain, from neglect, from desperation." He gently took her hand and kissed it, "You, my dear, you are the true Alchemist."

_Fin_

**Well this has been a fun ride (hope you enjoyed it also). I've got to thank my last reviewers, ****Dracomom, ****tigger64, Seramarias, NightowlsNest, Jaybird6, thedoctorsgirl42, BrittanyLS and (anonymous) Guest. (I'd like to list everyone who reviewed me, as well as all those who 'favorited' the story and all those who "followed" the story, but I know I'd risk leaving out somebody and that somehow seems worse). **

**Stay tuned if you like for my next story (although this one is now toast). My next is looking like it will be an ambitious one, **_**Casa d'Ora. **_**I'm still in the process of sketching and outlining things, but hope to have (at least) a brief first chapter coming up within a week or two. Less magic, more romance – still debating about T or M rating. Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone. twyla**


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